Tiber's Compendium
by Lil Nezumi
Summary: Severely Edited - End of Year 3 & Year 4 re-write, Char. Ooc, AU/AR, still within JKR's world and then some - A book found in an ancient cavern, accessible only by a Parselmouth, leads a youth to discover alternative magic and perhaps a way to change his learning process or the magic he learns. Harry is aware of some things, also featured with a studious nature of a different sort.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Tiber's Compendium

**Character centric:** Harry (no pairings at this time)

_**FYI - **_"no pairings at this time" means **NO PAIRINGS AT THIS TIME!**, author's note contains information about where to go to see author's preferred pairing style, do not assume that this story contains any romantic information about the Boy-Who-Lived being gay in this story, as I believe 14 is too young to fully understand romantic relations period. If I had paired him, it would be in the character profile of this story's FFnet's search engine.

_**MY Inspiration:**_ Harry Potter (all media forms), Elder Scrolls "Oblivion & "Skyrim" (PS3 version, video games)

**Disclaimer:** This is my standard disclaimer; I don't own anything in regards to the sources of _**MY**__**Inspiration**_. All publically recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

All the characters, worlds, base concepts or general ideas are just a bit food for the writing bug. This story is pure fiction and is in no way meant to copy or reflect real life, events or people, should this happen then obviously it is pure coincidence.

**Author's Note:** See author profile for preferred pairing style. If you do not like stories, featuring same-sex pairings back away from any and all of my stories, without comment! I don't need the peanut gallery foisting antiquated ideas about ideal family units, especially in a time and age (is this the twenty-first century or the seventeenth century, our planet's over populated as it is and we no longer have to 'people' the world) where many children are need of many things, period!

**Warning:** Be prepared for unexpected pairings and lots of implications about Dumbledore and others without too many details. The author has never read, OoF, HBP or DH, but may take bits and pieces of them based on fanfiction stories that contained such spoilers or information from the web. There may possibly be some game spoilers, but since they've been out for a while judging by the walkthrough faqs, it's doubtful.

**Summary:** End of Year 3 & Year 4 re-write, Char. Ooc, AU/AR, still within JKR's world and then some - A book found in an ancient cavern, accessible only by a Parselmouth, leads a youth to discover alternative magic and perhaps a way to change his learning process or the magic he learns. Harry is aware of some things, also featured with a studious nature of a different sort. Not quite a super power Harry.

**Speech Legend: **(This is the standard by which I write most of my stories and therefore you will not see this repeated in future chapters)

"Normal"

'_Thoughts_'

(…Other Languages/Mind Speak/Alternate Speech Patterns like sign language…)

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**CH 1**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry Potter let out a soft sigh before returning his attention to his Astronomy lesson. He'd learnt the basic constellations at his primary Muggle School when he was nine. He then had to relearn those same constellations under other names and definitions in order to fit into the Wizarding World's point of view related to them. Sure they had the regular planet names and some constellations remained the same, but others were changed, new or just different and needed to be added to his memory of them.

The Witches and Wizards believed that certain constellations held magic. The order in which they came together or the location of them in the heavens could predict the kind of life that an individual could have, if they believed in such things. Otherwise the Astronomy class was there to help the students with basic probability calculations.

'_It certainly is math heavy considering I didn't take the elective in Arithmancy_,' Harry thought, as he calculated the probability of "The Thief" constellation's position for his birthday month of July of this year. '_Hypothetical magical bonuses can occur to an individual's agility, speed and luck, but only if the person was born during a full 'Dark Moon' phase eclipsed by Mars._' He read from his star manual.'_How odd,_' he thought.'_I wonder, how a person can go about figuring that out without going through a whole bunch of complicated and boring mathematical calculations?_'

"All right class," Professor Sinistra called to the students. "Please study the star charts for the constellations of 'The Lord' and 'The Tower' for next class, also choose one classmate and make an analysis on whether they've been born when magical bonuses have been received. If any of you are interested to find out about ability effects for your own birth sign or whether you've been blessed by a star's position, try looking it up in the book called '_Ability Predictability by Tiberius Septim_'. There are other books produced by the Septim Family, so you may be interested in looking up those as well. Class dismissed!"

"How interesting," Hermione Granger gushed, as she gathered her things next to Harry. "I should think it a good thing to know, if we've been influenced by the stars."

"Really," Harry replied. "Isn't that somewhat like Divination, like predicting the future by reading the stars, you know something similar to Muggle Astrology?"

"Well maybe," she hedged. Then she thought about all those New Year predictions and Astrology books that the muggles put out. "I'm sure that the books from the Septim Family would reveal something interesting on the matter or else Professor Sinistra wouldn't have suggested it, would she?"

"You could be right," Harry said, after a moment of thought. He didn't want to put down a Professor in front of her since her opinion of teachers was still, quite uncomfortably, close to believing that everything they said was gospel.

"Oh, you'll have to excuse me," she said. "I have some notes to trade with Martha Morningstar of Ravenclaw. See you back at the tower." She waved him off.

Harry only nodded and then he chose to wander around the area for a bit, as he had a rare bit of time on his hands free of his best friends. Ron Weasley was laid up in the Hospital Ward for Charm Class accident when he'd accidentally misspoke a spell word. He had to wait out the spell effect and had to be monitored for the rest of the entire night because of it.

The Gryffindor didn't linger in any of the corridors for too long, especially since they're patrolled by the Prefects and the Professors. Professor Snape was the most notable one for finding wayward students, particular those of the Lion House.

But on this night, several weeks before the end of the year and after Professor Lupin had resigned from his teaching position for the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, the halls seemed devoid of passersby. That's when Harry noticed that he was near the third floor girl's loo and haunting place of Moaning Myrtle the Ravenclaw ghost that he'd met the year before. Bored he shrugged to himself, knocked on the door in case the room was in use, but he doubted it and then he entered cautiously.

"Hello," he called out softly, not wanting to call attention to the ghost, but enough to ensure that he was entering the place and had properly announced his presence. He peered around the door and then quickly entered, as he'd just caught sight of the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, further down the way.

He looked around the room and noticed that nothing had changed since he and his best friends had been there last year. The old cauldron was there on the floor with the congealed remnants of the Polyjuice Potion. He shuddered remembering the flavour of it. It was ghastly to taste.

"Probably should remove this or else banish it," he muttered softly. His attention was then riveted to the little snake emblem and he couldn't help himself. Curious to see if the access was still functioning, he hissed in Parseltongue, the language of snakes, (…Open…).

The sink moved out of the way and revealed the entrance, just as it had the previous year. He thought about Ginny and how she'd entered and left the place. '_There has to be some other method, other than sliding down or using brooms because she wasn't allowed a broom last year._'

(…Stairs...) he hissed. Nothing happened. (…Ladder…) he hissed. Nothing happened. Then he thought about the Headmaster's set of moving stairs. (…Elevate...) he had started to hiss the word elevator, but from the bottom of the pipe a hovering disk floated up for him to step on.

"Cool," he said.

Harry had since learned a massive cleaning charm at the beginning of the year and so he cast it down the pipe in order to clear out much of the debris. He cautiously stepped on the disc and hissed the word (…Descend…).

The disc floated down with him standing on it, secured in place by the magic in the device.

He followed the old path and soon he was before the corpse of the Basilisk that he'd killed. It was still there, preserved from the chill of the underground cavernous hall.

He didn't have much time to look around the last time he had been there. He'd been too busy with the task of rescuing Ginny and he'd had other people to think about, they had counted on him. This time he was on his own and had decided to take his time exploring the place. He had a free period in the mornings after his late night class, as per normal, so he knew he could sleep in a little later tomorrow.

Harry began with the alcove that Tom Riddle's spirit had been in just before coming forward to snatch his wand that he'd foolishly set aside in his concern for a fellow student. '_I was such an idiot to set my wand down,_' he thought. '_Why don't they contact the Muggle-borns or Muggle-raised sooner, at least I'd have been able to practice holding or carrying a wand by using twigs and such, ensuring that I never let it go._'

The alcove area was framed in stone, but he turned his head this way and that until he felt that he could barely see an outline to a door. He looked around when his eyes landed on the dead basilisk, so he hissed the word (...Open...).

The bricks folded away much like the entrance to Diagon Alley.

(...Lumos...) he hissed, forgetting that he was speaking in another language.

A ball of light formed from the end of his wand and released like a soap bubble to float in the air. He stared at it because it was an effect that he'd never heard possible for the charm of light. He poked it with his wand and pushed the bubble of light into the room just ahead of him. It didn't burst either from the nudge of something pointed.

'_Of course to put it out I'd have to use the counter-spell, Nox,_' he thought.

The room itself wasn't unique in any way. There was a rounded desk tucked away in the far corner of the room with some arcane symbols on it. The room had a small single bed with a small nightstand next to it. There was a larger desk against a wall and a small fireplace that looked only big enough to make firecalls from.

"Odd little room," he muttered to himself. "This must have been just a place for sleeping, whenever Salazar was finished doing work out there." He looked around the room and then noticed that there was a fallen bit of tapestry behind the larger desk.

"Wingardium Leviosa," he chanted, to lift the tapestry up. He then applied a sticking charm to the back of the tapestry, at the same time that he was concentrating on holding it up. He'd been practicing small multiple spells in order to increase his ability to cast more than one spell at a time. He didn't tell anyone about it because he didn't think that it was anything special.

"I say," the tapestry portrait said. "Thank you young man, I hated being on the floor for so long."

"You're Welcome," Harry replied absently, as he started poking about in the drawers of the larger desk and the nightstand.

"What are you looking for," the man in the tapestry asked.

"Nothing in particular," Harry replied. "I just opened up the room and am curious about it." He paused and then looked at the portrait. "What's your name?"

"Tiber Septim, but most folks know me as Salazar Slytherin," Tiber said. "What's yours?"

"Harry Potter, are you really Salazar Slytherin," Harry said. He perked up at that and wondered about the dual names. "Are you related to Tiberius Septim? Did you change your name to Salazar or to Tiber?"

"That I am, young man," the portrait chuckled. "Tiberius is my grand-sire. I didn't change my name. All I'd done was to formulate an Alias that existed without everyone knowing that it was alias. My closest friends knew, of course, but only after I told them what my real name was."

"How is that possible," Harry asked, curious to know if he could change his name or gain an acceptable alias too. "Why hide your real name?" It didn't bother him that the portrait was a man that was known to hate Gryffindor or the students, because this picture looked like it hadn't mingled with the other portraits that existed in the school. The man seemed friendly in any case.

"The spell is a combination of an Alteration and Illusion Spell," Tiber explained with a huff. "What are they teaching you? I taught the last fellow that came through here the same spell, but he didn't seem interested in the any explanation of the different schools of magic. I wanted hide my true-name because the Septim Family was too famous for many things, good and bad, when I was alive, back when."

"I'm not sure that what I'm being taught is any way similar to what you've taught," Harry said. "What's an Alteration Spell or an Illusion Spell? What schools of magic are you talking about?"

Tiber's eyebrows rose and then he said, "You speak Parseltongue or else you wouldn't have been able to enter this room. Go to the corner with the round table. That's an Arcane Enchanter by the way, but I just want you to say the word '_Reveal_' at it. You must say it in the language of snakes."

Harry looked at the rounded desk with the strange symbols on it. '_Arcane Enchanter,_' he thought to himself. '_Wonder what kind of enchantments it can do?_'

(...Reveal...) he hissed and felt a little silly since he didn't do anything, but hiss. On top of the Enchanter a large book appeared.

"Drat it's still there, but something about it looks wrong," Tiber said. "Please look inside the book and tell me that it's complete." His tone was worried.

Harry opened the book and immediately it fell open to a section of missing pages. He noticed that there were coloured tabs to index a particular subject, so he looked to the front of the book seeking the table of contents and matched the colour index to a subject. "There are no pages on the Necromancy School," he said. "No, actually there are only a couple of pages related to the subject that looks to have been left behind. It's in the section about how to fix a botched Horcrux Spell, but it looks like the majority of the Necromancy subject was removed from the book."

"Damn," Tiber swore and shook his head. He muttered, "I knew I should have destroyed the book when I had the chance."

"Why," Harry asked, carrying the book to the dusty bed. He sat down and paged through it reading about the different schools of magic. The section he was interested in was the Alteration and Illusion schools, because he wanted to figure out how to create an existing Alias name so that he could hide away too.

"How did you remove the book from the Enchanter," Tiber asked in surprise. "I've never been able to do that and I suspect that the reason for the missing pages was because the book couldn't be removed."

"I asked the Enchanter to let me have the book," Harry explained. "I asked in Parseltongue and said please too, why?"

Tiber shook his head. "I'd forgotten that it was created by an aristocrat." He looked at the youth's confused expression and smirked, saying, "They're more about social politeness than us commoners, who tend to forget it because it takes too much time. They like the social niceties of '_Please_' and '_Thank yous_', if you know what I mean."

Harry smirked, as he knew that kind of sentiment, since his Muggle relatives were trying to push social etiquette onto their son, which had them failing miserably because his cousin was a brat. "I see," he said. "Well, the table let me have it."

"Might I ask," Tiber said. "Do you know if the other rooms in the chamber out there are still intact?"

"Other rooms," Harry asked in confusion. "This was the first one I found when I looked. Although I came to this one because of a spirit I saw coming from this direction, last year."

"Could you look for those other rooms for me," Tiber asked. "There's a smithing chamber, an alchemy lab and a library. There should be portraits of my friends in each of them. There's a door just beside this one and two on the opposite side of the chamber with similar alcoves. Is the baby basilisk is still alive?"

Harry shook his head and said, "I killed one last year, but I don't know if it's the same one that you knew."

"That's a shame," Tiber said, as shook his head sadly. "Still it's great for alchemical ingredients. You have harvested it, haven't you?"

"No," Harry said. "I hadn't planned on it. Besides we're learning Potions not Alchemy here at the school."

"What, no Alchemy," Tiber exclaimed in shock. "That's not right. Please find the other rooms and open the doors. Leave the doors open if you can and that way I can travel to visit my friends, unless you can set up that tapestry stand...," he pointed to a set of wood pieces that seemed to be poking out from under the bed. "...out there in the main chamber?"

"I'm getting kind of tired now, but will come back later to try," Harry said. "If that's all right with you?"

"Quite, quite," Tiber said. "By the way the Alias spell is not in that book. I might let you know what it is, when you come back." He was embodying the Slytherin aspect of his personality now, since it was obvious to the young Gryffindor that the portrait was trying to bribe him into helping it out.

Harry was no slouch in that area though. "I understand, sir," he remained polite throughout his exploration. "We shall see, if and when I can come back."

The Gryffindor left quickly and pocketed the book he just shrank. He shut the door behind him, almost in a Slytherin mindset to show the tapestry portrait that things were not going to be that easy, despite the colour of Harry's robes.

Tiber Septim aka Salazar Slytherin chuckled, as he knew that this might his only chance to get out of the storage room. He'd been stashed there in order to hide, including the other founder tapestries, from access by the student population. This had been done a long time ago with no malicious intent, but as it was, the portrait had been hibernating long enough. It was time to get access to the school once more.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer, Notes, etc: ** See chapter one, from here on this will not be repeated.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**CH 2**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

A few days later Harry returned to the Chamber of Secrets armed with a few spells that would, in theory, assemble tapestry hanging devices. He just hoped that he had researched the right ones. He didn't tell Hermione or Ron about it and they didn't seem to mind that he was leaving them on their own. Besides he still didn't have permission to go to Hogsmeade and that's where they were going today, so Harry was going to be on his own for most of that Saturday.

"So you've actually returned," Tiber observed. "I didn't think you would!"

"Couldn't come any sooner," Harry said, as he levitated the tapestry hanging boards out from under the bed. He looked at the parts and his mind fitted them together in a logical order.

(...Assemble...) he hissed in the language of snakes. (...Fasten...secure...) He concentrated on fitting the pieces together like a three dimensional puzzle. His ability to cast multiple spells and maintain focus had been increased by the language he used when he cast the spells.

(...I'm glad that there's another snake-speaker around...) Tiber said.

(...I didn't know that I was one until last year...) Harry told him. He then explained about the duel between his Professors and the one that he'd had with Draco Malfoy. They both chuckled at the thought of turning their opponent end-over-end to win a duel. He paused to look at the portrait and asked, "Sir, do you want me to call you Slytherin or Septim?"

"Call me Tiber," the portrait replied. "I haven't heard that name in years and the last child that came through didn't even ask. He assumed that I was Salazar and kept calling me great or some other such nonsense."

"I imagine that he did," Harry said with a slight frown. "Are you ready to be transferred to a different support? I'm not sure how long the sticking charm will hold you to the wall."

"Ready," Tiber said. "You'll take me with you when you leave the chamber, right?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked and then he did the transfer spell that removed the sticking charm from the back of the tapestry. There were old magically metallic rings or grommets at the top and bottom of the tapestry, which wove and looped onto bars. The bars then fastened themselves to the large frame, which allowed the portrait to become portable and stable. The bars were usually used to roll the portrait when travelling, but for now the young Gryffindor just levitated the whole thing and moved it to the main chamber with the large corpse of the basilisk.

"Wow," Tiber said, as he looked at the body of the dead creature. "I see that you really haven't harvested from it yet. Did you at least check to see, if it had swallowed anything interesting over the years?"

"What do you mean, sir," Harry asked, as he was slowly looking for the other alcoves around the chamber. He found them quick enough and then he opened them before paying attention to the portrait of Salazar Slytherin or Tiber Septim as he wanted to be known.

Tiber noticed that the boy was pre-occupied with assembling the other tapestry holders and with moving the portraits of his friends. He smiled when they started to wake from their hibernating poses.

Harry noticed that Salazar's portrait was right about the other three rooms.

The smithing room contained a local smelter, a forge with anvil, a cooling tank and several other tools related to forging metals, even a grinding stone and a workbench.

The alchemy room contained four tools that he'd seen in his Potions class, but not even his Professor had been seen using three out of the four of them. They were a calcinator, an alembic, a mortar and pestle set and finally something called a retort. He was curious about the other three tools, since he'd already been used to the mortar and pestle set for grinding particular ingredients. He wondered if the other stuff would be used or explained in his coming years at school.

The library room was exactly that, a room full of books and for some reason they looked completely undisturbed since the time they been placed in said room. The young Gryffindor wondered if it would be advisable to remove the books or to wait until he'd learnt the spells of preservation for those books, perhaps a spell to detect, if they've been preserved first.

The three other portraits had awoken and were conversing with each other, as Harry explored the rooms. Once his curiosity about the rooms had been satisfied he approached the portraits for an introduction.

"Hello," he said, looking from the two women and then additional man. "My name's Harry Potter, what're your names?"

"Hallo, young Harry," the red-bearded man said. "My name's Godric Gryffindor and the beauteous lady to my left is..."

"Helga Hufflepuff," the short, cheerful faced woman said with a curtsy.

"I'm Rowena Ravenclaw," the other woman said. She had an air that reminded Harry of his Transfiguration Professor, stern, yet kind in the eyes.

"Pleased to meet you," he told them. "Do you have aliases too, like Tiber?"

"So he's told you, did he?" Godric said. "We do, but they are of no use now. Just call me Godric."

"You may address me as Helga," the Hufflepuff House originator said.

The Ravenclaw woman, nodded her head in a regal way and said, "Rowena, please."

Harry nodded and then he conjured a table to empty his pockets of the tools he'd brought along in order to begin his adventure in carving the ruddy great beast. "Tiber or perhaps any of you, could you please tell me how to begin stripping this creature for component potions parts?"

"What! Don't tell me that apart from getting rid of Alchemy, they've gotten rid of the section on gathering your own ingredients," Tiber asked, horrified with the thought of wondering what the students were doing in most of their potions studies.

"Well, I am a third year student," Harry explained. "We haven't had any ingredients gathering sections to our studies yet, but I haven't heard of such a section in the upper year courses of study either."

"Shameful," Helga said. "To begin you need to know quite a few spells. Most of which are related to skinning animals for food and preparing their skins for the tanning and dying processes. Even harvesting spells for regular gardens would be useful."

"There might still be tanners around, but I have no knowledge of them," Harry told them. "As you can see, things are a little different." He spread his arms so that they could see his clothing and uniform.

"What year is it young man," Rowena asked. "If we know that, then we can begin a review of the changes in our society and at this school, although..." She paused and attempted to move away from the tapestry portrait, but couldn't. "It seems like the spells in the chamber are still limiting our access to the school."

"Why _did_ you do that Tiber," Helga asked.

"I didn't put our portraits away, my dear Helga," he answered. "This chamber was perfect for spell casting practice of some Alteration Spells, including those from the schools for Illusion, Conjuration, Destruction, etc... you do know?"

"Yes, yes," Helga replied. "I understand, but it seems that we may be confusing young Harry, here."

"Not really," Harry said. "I've read most of the book about the schools and the spells under those schools. I'm just curious about the fact most of those spells don't seem to be listed in our current courses of study. I even looked in our school's library and haven't found any explanation or information about them."

"Do you think you can take us out of the Chamber," Godric asked.

"Sure," Harry said. "Shrinking and feather spells will help to get you out of here. Rowena, the books in the library down here, do you think that the spells that Helga was talking about could be found in there."

"Yes," the Ravenclaw originator said. "All those books are under severe preservation spells, so I suggest you find something to carry them in or else create something of your magic to link it to you."

"Create something," Harry asked, confused.

"Yes," Godric said. "You can create or craft and forge your own box or carryall and that's how it's permanently linked to you. You do that in your Smithing Classes or Metal Working Classes."

"Uh...Smithing Classes," Harry said, his tone indicated that it was more of a question.

"You no longer have Smithing Classes, either," Godric asked in a shocked tone.

"No sir," Harry said. "I don't even know about enchanting items to do what you're suggesting."

"By the Ironfire Pit of Blackwood," Godric swore.

"Things seem to have changed dramatically," Tiber observed. "Are there still other Magical Schools around the world?"

"I believe so," Harry said. He had skimmed the book '_Hogwarts: A History_', since it had been a birthday gift last year from Hermione. There was a section in it that had mentioned other schools. "Why?"

"How much longer do you have left of your school year," Tiber asked.

"About two and a half weeks," Harry said.

The four founders looked at one another and nodded, as though they just came to an agreement.

Rowena then looked to the youth and said, "Go find a listing of the Magical Schools in your school's library and see if any are still teaching the old school methods, including Smithing and Enchanting."

"If you do find one or two, look into them further and see if they have summer classes or programs in those subjects," Helga recommended.

"Why," Harry asked.

"It'd be difficult for you to use the tools in these rooms without some form of formal instruction," Tiber said. "Besides, what kind of student doesn't want to learn something new?"

"Well that would depend on whether the student was permitted to learn," Harry said with a slight frown on his face. "If you'll excuse me, I'll just dash off to look up those schools before I continue to do anything further down here. Should I apply to their summer programs, if I find any?"

"Good idea," Godric said. "You do that and figure out if you can purchase a travel tent or a caravan cart. We'll teach you the spells to transfer the library and the objects from these rooms, plus us and that carcass into it. That way you'll have us with you at all times and once you take us out of here, we'd be able to visit other portraits, should there be any in your vicinity."

"Tell me how to do the Alias spell," Harry asked. "I'm going to need it before filling out any forms to apply to a new school." He explained his situation and said, "I need to protect the school, as well as myself."

The founders agreed and taught him the spell. After a few moments Harry cast it, as he had spent some of his free time thinking about an Alias name that could hide him. Some paperwork appeared in front of him. It was a new birth certificate, complete with fictional names for his mother and father. There were matching school records for his muggle education, but no medical information.

Harry pocketed the papers, nodded and said, "I'll come back this afternoon." He then pulled out his wand and hissed, (...Date and time, two week countdown...)

A round, faced clock appeared above his conjured table, which included the date and time counting down to the end of his third year of school. He bowed to the Founders and left them to socialize.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry took his time to find the information on the Magical Schools that still existed in the world. Because he was alone for the better part of the day, he was able to dash off a letter to his Godfather for his opinion in the matter and to say that he was going to try to gain entry to the school of his choice.

After researching the local schools, plus the international ones, only one school had summer programs, of a similar nature to what the tapestries had told him about. He took his time and wrote the entry level essay required in order to apply because his time was running out. He even filled in the entrance form providing that new school with his pertinent information. If he could get into the accelerated program, he could avoid going home to the Dursleys for the coming summer and quite possibly the following summer too.

Hopefully everything could be planned and enabled before he boarded the train to return to London.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry Potter received an Owl from another Wizarding School one week before the end of his third year at Hogwarts. The Owl carried with it a list of supplies that he'd need, including the basic camping equipment of a house-tent with specific rooms that he had to outfit correctly, for him to study and practice in.

He'd been surprised that such a thing could happen in so short a time period, but then again it was a good thing that he received it now, because he knew that he had enough time to send a letter by muggle post to his Aunt Petunia. It would give her enough time to send him the needed documentation to disappear for the summer holidays. He needed his original birth records and whatever other documentation, like medical records and such...that she may have had. He wanted them, so that they wouldn't exist anywhere else.

Needless to say she was happy that he wouldn't be back to darken their doors for the summer and had enquired about his chances of a repeat the following summer. He didn't make any promises, but he did mention that the school had programs that lasted three to four years.

Harry had applied to the United States Grand Canyon Institute of Magical Learning, when he found out that they were the only Magical School that had accelerated programs in the fields of Smithing and Enchanting. He didn't believe that his new Alias would work or in the fact that his entrance essay was actually good enough for him to be accepted at the school, but it looked like they were. Now he needed to set up a schooling account for the American magical dwarf bank called Stoneguard Bank.

It had all been explained to him by the Goblin at the Hogsmeade Gringotts Branch, that he'd need his magical and muggle paperwork intact before attending the new school for his summer. He'd been surprised when he noticed the little Gringotts Bank Branch during his last illicit excursion out of the school. It had the same features and warnings as the main branch. This office was mainly for the businesses in Hogsmeade, but some students used the resources here in order to pick up their weekly or monthly allowances.

Harry had finally received a permission slip to actually leave the school for the last Hogsmeade weekend of the year from Sirius.

He hadn't told his friends about it because he didn't want them to know what his plans were. After he'd gotten the paperwork from his Aunt in time, he set out to buy most of the supplies he could within the limits of Hogsmeade and with the aid of Gringotts in obtaining basic gems and ore.

Everything had been packed in the magical house-tent that he'd purchased with his trust fund money, since it too was deemed essential for his education. The cost was high, but he needed the best he could find and he needed it to contain multiple rooms for various purposes.

The tapestry portraits taught him the spells to modify his house-tent to allow him to transport the Basilisk carcass and keep it preserved in an independent room.

They had their own room in the house tent and the boy had bought several other magical landscape type tapestries for the portraits to travel through and to meet up in. There was one in the library, the smithing room, the potions and alchemical laboratory, plus a smaller one in the enchanting cubicle he set up in one of the larger storage closets that the tent had. They had insisted that he create ritual chamber and he agreed since it was on his list of rooms to have in his tent.

The Gringotts goblins at the main branch had double-checked his Alias spell and deemed it to be solid and valid. It was also extremely secure too, which had been much to their surprise. They made official copies of all of his paperwork in order to keep them in the Family Vaults. He may not have access to them yet, but they could store them for him.

The goblins chose to send one third of his school trust account monies to Stoneguard Bank in the name of Harry's alias, since that was the name that he would be using while he attended the American magical school. Copies of his alias paperwork were stored in that new vault too.

Harry received his International Magical Visa for travel and education in the name of his chosen alias. It came through with the help of the Gringotts goblin in Hogsmeade. The creature had been bored in his position for quite a while now, so helping the Boy-Who-Lived had diverted his attentions. He aided the boy in scheduling his travel times and had obtained the boy's necessary tickets for the bus and ship that he'd be using to get to the US Canyon School.

It still shocked Harry to have had the audacity to have selected such a name and yet it was the perfect name to hide under. He was absolutely certain that no one from the United Kingdom Wizarding World would think to look for Harry James Potter under the name of Tiber James Snape.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**


	3. Chapter 3

**CH 3**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry, who was affectionately called TJ by his fellow Canyon School students, worked hard in his studies of Smithing and Enchanting. It was an interesting system of levels, similar to the Mastery system in the U.K. Wizarding World. However, it was also different in that his levels of education began with Novice and had the potential to go all the way up to Legendary Master. Something he didn't quite understand at this point in time.

He was also one of the youngest students that they currently had on file. He was one of only three human children to have successfully written an essay that permitted them to be educated in this primarily creature oriented school.

He reflected on his entrance to the place where he had to have had a very thorough medical exam from a Healer that they'd brought in just for him and the two other humans. If he had been the only human student, they'd have sent him to the Healer instead. The Healer had made recommendations, while vocally expressing his opinion on the boy's bad childhood environment. He'd informed Harry that it was a good thing that they caught it now, as there was a better chance for changes to take place in his physical health.

TJ had been grateful, but it still meant a regimen of nasty nutrition potions that he either had to buy or make on his own. He told that to Helga and she instructed him on the art of making them for himself using Alchemy instead of the newer Potions Standards. It was easier to control the strength and with judicious monitoring of his food intake and exercise that he'd been told to do.

He was slowly filling out like a normal boy his age. Although, due to the nature of his classes, his arms had developed quite the muscled look and being a boy, he thought it was kind of cool to flex in front of his bathroom mirror from time to time and see them pump.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

TJ focussed his attention back to the dwarf instructor for the beginner class in creating items using a magical forge. They were discussing the fire strength for smelting.

"The smelting process can be augmented by magical fires produced by those that have reached the apprentice stage in the Destruction School of Magic. However for those of you in this class the Novice spells will be adequate to your needs," the Smithing instructor said. "Not many choose to learn from more than one of the schools of magic, but proficiency in all schools up to the Apprentice Level is encouraged, since spell creation and enchanting rely heavily on the levels you choose to attain. Some spells, no matter if you buy or learn them may not be accessible to you for the purpose of enchanting, since the size of your magical core and access to those magics will be limited. You must practice such spells in order to increase your core reserves and further discussion will take place in your Novice Enchanter classes."

A student stood up and asked, "What are the names of the Destruction spells that are available for us to use with the forge?"

"Well depending on the metal or gem you choose to alter, different ones exist," the instructor said. "Novice levels are primarily touch based spells, although Flare or Flames are pretty good ones to get under your belt for a start, and there's also Snowball or Chill. The touch spells are good if you plan to make jewelry that can be prepared for enchanting purposes, specifically for absorption of spells for a particular element like Shock or Burn. These basic ones will last longer than any you can create at your current level."

Another student stood and asked, "Can we practice the spells in order to change our magical reserves in order to be able to access those of higher levels?"

"You can," the dwarf instructor said. "There are several rooms in the school you can use to just repeatedly cast your spells in order to increase your control. Also your house-tent, house-cart or caravan, should contain a ritual room that will do the same as the rooms we have in the school. Conjure any creature, within your accessible level and kill it with destruction magic to increase your skill in the Destruction School. Your Conjuring Skill will also increase your skills in the Conjuration School of Magic."

The other human male in the class grimaced at the thought of killing another living creature, even if it was only conjured.

"Mr. Archer," the instructor called attention to the young human. "There is no need to conjure creatures for the purpose of learning, if you don't want to. There are other ways to gain experience, like exploring the surrounding caverns and mines. You just don't have the option to dispel the creatures by stepping outside of your casting circle. Should you choose to explore an uncharted area you put your own life on the line. You'll not be monitored for progress in there."

"Yes, sir," Archer said. He thought about the differences of class learning and treasure hunting learning. It was clear to the others in this class that this young man would probably take his chances in the tunnels of some unknown cavern or dungeon rather than kill a conjured creature.

The other students noticed the young man's expression and knew that they may lose a fellow student before this summer session was out.

"Yes, Mr. Snape," the instructor said and pointed to the youngest human in his class when the boy indicated that he had a question.

"What's the easiest way to gain levels in the Conjuration School of Magic," TJ asked. "As Novices, we don't have access to creature conjuration yet, do you have any advice on that?"

"Find or buy a small conjuration spell book for a weapon or low grade piece of armour," the instructor said. "The weapons can be sheathed to dispel it quickly and the armour will dissipate through a natural progression of time. If you find a place to buy those spell books, I'd recommend that you also purchase a Summon Skeleton spell book or some other low grade Summons for creatures like Rat, Wolf or Low Goblin (...i...). Any more questions?"

The students shook their heads, after which the instructor assigned them their tasks for the next class. "Produce twenty iron bars from ore that you found in the lower mines in the canyon, make sure to follow the smelting process we've taught you. I don't expect many of you will make a Fine grade, but I do hope that you'll many Normal grades. Make sure to put your finished product on the assessment that you've been given. I don't want to see Junk from any of you, since you should be passed that phase already."

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

TJ had taken to his courses with the Canyon School, a lot more readily than with the regular curriculum of Hogwarts. It was more structured and there were more hands on techniques to learn than all the theorizing that his old school loved to teach in the lower years.

His assessment book was a wonderful tool, since it automatically graded the pieces that he made within the normal guidelines of refining. The grade of refinement for the item was also his grade for his classes here at the school, telling him where he did well or if he failed. Again it was like learning a whole new system of scholastic grades, like at Hogwarts where he received _O_s, _E_s, _A_s, etc... Here he received a rare _S_, many _F_s, several _N_s, etc... (...ii...)

Harry had gone to see his Head of House, Professor McGonagall, about changing his elective class of Divination to that of Ancient Runes for the following year. He said that he was prepared to test into the fourth year class upon his return to the school, if the Runes Professor would be agreeable to that situation, which Professor Vector was.

The tapestry portraits loved this rare chance to teach what they knew about the different schools of magic to TJ, which also included bringing him up to speed in the field of Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. The boy was eager to learn everything. The runes were important for the Enchanting classes he was learning, which is why he dropped Divination at the end of his third year. Arithmancy was needed to calculate optimum quantities of objects based on pounds of ore refined and unrefined.

The young student spent most of his days at the forge and was one of the first students to change learning levels from Novice to Apprentice in the Smithing Skill set because he received twenty consecutive grades of Fine for his iron daggers and the moulded iron arrow heads.

He practiced his Ancient Runes at the same time, as his Smithing Skill since he chose to practice carving runes into the ore bricks he had to create from raw ore. The carving was important, since it was a separate class. He reformed or smelted some of the ore bricks to fit into the moulds he'd created for some plain looking rings and jewelry.

The technique of forging was based on several factors, but usually the Skill was reinforced by repetitive creation of one or two items. He'd chosen to forge daggers, arrowheads and amulets of iron and steel to ground his techniques for the weapons and jewelry.

His instructors were impressed with his diligence, but they had advised him to look through the Stoneguard Bank's records of low level mines, caverns and abandoned dungeons to gain experience in the use of his weapons.

They didn't believe in teaching the student to build something just to never learn the proper use of them. Treasure hunting was a part of their program, to fill out the weapons manipulation experience portion of their curriculum.

The students of Canyon School were expected to take three to five days away from school to explore some foreign location, within their level of experience, at least once during their summer program. Magically speaking those locations were testing sites and they magically altered to fit a student's current skill and application level. However they were not monitored by the school and it was entirely up to the student to visit such a place or not.

It was on a fine Wednesday morning somewhere in the middle of July that TJ had planned to visit Stoneguard Bank in order to review their archives of maps for something of interest. He was one of the last students to do so, but he was expected to be slower than others in that respect since he was the youngest and smallest human in the accelerated program.

"Well, I just made my first short sword of steel with a _Fine_ grade," TJ said to his portrait tutors. "I have a Normal steel bow that I'm quite fond of using and have practiced with it quite a bit against the hay bales in the lower levels of the school. The tent is transportable." He continued to explain his reasons for packing up his tent and why he needed to travel.

"I've been encouraged to seek a dungeon to test my Skills. The dungeons are not monitored by the school or the bank, though. I've been told that I'm permitted to use my wand in there, since my International Visa had that condition imbedded in the permit for education purposes. The basilisk carcass is done to the best of my ability and the remainder is in stasis until I learn those additional spells for breaking it down to base potions and alchemical ingredients."

"Where are you going with this," Tiber asked.

"Well I was wondering, if any of you had a preferred location that you wanted me to check out or if I should just wing it," TJ said. "Considering how long ago you guys were around, you might know of some mine or something in the area that you'd like me to search."

"Just wing it this time around," Godric replied. "It's more fun that way."

"Harry," Rowena said, calling him by his proper name. The ladies had refused to call him TJ and since there'd be two Tibers in the room, they chose to use his regular name. "You said that you had a Dark Lord that was after you when we last spoke?" The boy nodded. "I've been thinking that maybe there might be some kind of prophesy about you. That could be something for you to look into."

"A prophesy," Harry questioned. He paused and thought of his Professor Trelawney and how she'd predicted that Wormtail would go back to his Master. It had come true, so there was nothing to say that the woman had not predicted some other tale of doom in his direction. She seemed to make a bad habit of it when he was around. "I suppose that's a possibility. Ah...man...I sure hope not."

"Why ever not," Tiber asked. "Prophets and Seers exist for a reason. It doesn't mean that everything they predict will come true, but surely a magical being would look into the situation much more quickly than some muggle person, especially if some prediction had been made about them."

Harry sighed, bowed his head and said, "I guess you're right. I'm just packing up right now to go to the Stoneguard Bank in the morning. I figure that I'd travel from the bank to the dungeon or cave and then return there when I'm done. It'd be easier to deal with any treasure I find and I'm quite sure that I don't want to carry around too much stuff."

"You're bringing mining equipment, aren't you," Godric asked, as his interest was mainly the smithing and forging, when he wasn't using his tools to dual with Salazar in the dueling field tapestry that Harry had recently found.

"Herb gathering tools too," Helga piped in. Her skills were in the growing of things, but also she was extremely skilled in Alchemy and Potions for the purpose of healing and nutrition.

"Of course," Harry said. "I have empty containers for them and all tools have been prepared, sharpened, and sheathed for all of that. Including a couple of scroll cases and book preservers, Rowena, I remember what you've taught me about them." He'd been doing basic Alchemy with Helga it wasn't quite the same as Potions.

Alchemy was about the study of plants and their properties, as well as finding a way into combining them into some form of useable potion. He kept an Alchemy Journal for that purpose, although if anyone were to look at it, they'd think that it was a potions journal.

The study of Potions at his school was just that, a study of potions. The formulas had already been discovered and they were just learning how to re-create them within accepted limitations. The boy was quite sure that to become a Master in Potions nowadays included the base study of Alchemy that he was currently enjoying with Helga. '_Why doesn't Snape begin with this first,_' he'd thought. '_It'd be a lot more fun and more interesting in the beginning._'

"Good," Rowena replied with a stern, yet kind look and smile on her face. Her abilities centered more on research of enchanting and spell creation. She monitored his study habits in order to improve them to a degree that would make it easier for him to structure his essays and get them done on time without feeling rushed.

Harry's immature magical power had been too strong and wild when he cast a simple preservation spell on some blank scrolls. So the founders taught him to make plain wooden boxes and solid leather carryalls that he could enchant without an explosive consequence. These items would preserve any books or scrolls until he could manage the spells of preservation for actual paper and paper-like products, like a refrigerator preserving foods, only the effects lasted much longer.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Young Mr. Snape, otherwise known as TJ, walked into Stoneguard Bank for the purpose of checking the maps to a few easy exploration caverns or dungeons, before making a decision on which one to explore. He also walked in there to double-check his account for his class needs and make sure that he had everything he needed to complete the second year of his compressed course schedule, provided that he passed the first part nearing the end of this summer.

He was guided into a room, where several maps were rolled up and some were stashed in books. His guide questioned him on his preferred type of training location and the size of the area he wanted to explore.

TJ just shrugged and said, "I'm not sure. I'm kind of partial to something that no one has done before or something that hasn't seen an explorer for a while, since it seems to be my lot to do new things where I'm from. Do you know anything about Prophesies or Seers, maybe an ancient place for oracles or something of that nature?"

The dwarf looked at him and said, "For something that specific, I recommend that you visit Morgana's Temple. Not the large tourist trap in New Orleans, but the real place which is rumoured to be located further south and close to the Mexican Border. No one has attempted that one for a while now."

"How long is a while," TJ asked.

"About ninety years, give or take a few years," the dwarf replied with honesty.

TJ thought about it and then he noticed the gleam in the dwarf's eye. He may have been placed in Gryffindor House at his school, but the ruddy Sorting Hat did say he didn't have a bad mind and that he'd do well in Slytherin House too.

"Why do you want me to take the map for _that_ Temple," TJ asked. "What's in it for you and what's so special about a temple dedicated to Morgana anyway?"

The dwarf blinked and realized that the human youth had found him out. The dwarf shrugged and said, "We at the Bank aide the explorers by taking any items off their hands, that are unusable by said explorers. Morgana was rumoured to be Seeress, which fits in with your request. It's why many magical humans would seek out her temple, wherever they believe it to be."

"Off their hands you say...I'm sure you do," TJ replied with a mildly snotty tone he'd learnt from Tiber. "I'm also sure that you pay for them at a price well below the retail rate too." He frowned at the thought of a Seer, as he'd never heard of Morgana being one, but the history taught by his ghostly Professor Binns, didn't have that much information about Merlin, Morgana or other magical humans of that ancient time period, so the possibility was there. "I'm not sure about the Seeress aspect of this, I've already heard a couple prophecies before and they didn't quite turn out well for me."

"Sometimes they never do," the dwarf commented about prophecies. The creature sighed and then sat down at a table not too far from the area of the maps. TJ was invited to sit across from the magical being. "This is a personal request. Every other student has always chosen other places to explore and this particular site is more suited to humans than the others of creature descent that attend the USGC School."

"I take it that pure humans have failed to gain entrance to the school for a while now," TJ asked. He remembered his surprise to have seen only two other humans in his classes. One was a boy, an older teenager about nineteen, with the last name Archer and a girl, with the last name of Donald. Although, he'd been hearing whispers from his fellow students that didn't believe that Archer would be around for much longer.

"Yes," the dwarf said. "We were surprised when three had passed the application process this year, but that usually has to do with the fact that they'd been introduced to the Schools of Magic somehow, as opposed to having attended an actual Human Magic School. You are the only one on record for doing both. It's been over one hundred and forty-seven years since the last human with dual education appeared and that human has passed on."

"I understand," TJ said. "So what is it about this temple? What's so special that you'd break protocol by suggesting it to me?"

"I had several Clan Family members travel to that temple and attempt to get to the centre of it," the dwarf explained. "I want to know what happened. Either by diary or by armour and the only way to find out is to have someone actually visit the place. We'd also gain a more complete map from someone going in there."

TJ looked confused at that statement.

"The maps in this room are not complete," the dwarf explained. "They are mapped up to a certain point. All students seem to gain the minimal experience or skills they want and then return to the school to further their education, usually without finishing or doing a complete exploration of a particular place. Or else they give up on the whole of it. Sometimes they do die in the process, in which case the map automatically returns to the bank with the parts partially filled up to the point of the students' demise."

"Ah," TJ noised. "So if I take on this, obviously, dangerous map, what do I get out of it, should I survive?"

The dwarf shifted in its (...iii...) seat and then it said, "Fair price to any find you make, if you cannot make use of it."

TJ whistled at that and asked, "Under contract?"

The dwarf's expression soured a bit and then it replied, "If you wish?"

"Of course there must be a contract," TJ said with a huff. His Canyon Professor in the study of general business management, which is needed for when the students produced something of value that could be sold, a were-creature, not wolf, named Wilcowitz, always told them when dealing with banks to get things in a contract. The Founders of his Wizard School had taught him much of the same. "I'll not be duped out of my fair price for anything. Plus my personal instructors would be very displeased with me, if I was naïve about going into this whole situation without such a contract."

"Of course they would," the dwarf said with a grin, acknowledging that the boy was smart enough to guard his finds and obtain a fair bargain price for them before finding anything. "What do you suggest?"

"Hmm," TJ paused to think about it. "You pay me eighty percent of the item's potential retail market value. I'll make whatever repairs I can, but there will be a chance that I cannot, if the armour is magical in nature."

"I was considering forty percent," the dwarf said. He really low-balled the price to see if the youth knew what he was doing when bargaining with someone not of his race.

"Too low," TJ countered. "Not for the ordeal I'll be going through." He paused and then said, "Seventy-seven percent."

"Fifty percent," the dwarf said getting into the groove of the bargain. '_This young one is smart._'

"Seventy-seven percent," TJ repeated to indicate that the creature hadn't upped its offer enough for him to take his own down. "I'm the one that needs to come back in one piece to deliver them, after all."

The dwarf was familiar with this tactic and the youth had a point. "Sixty percent," it said. "Not one percent more."

"I don't have to deliver the goods here," TJ said with a bland look. "I could return to my home country and do the exchange there with the High Goblins of Gringotts you know...seventy-two percent!"

The dwarf grumped, its face souring at the thought of losing even a single sliver of the ore and treasure that potentially existed in that particular series of caves. It then said, "Sixty-eight percent, you need to consider that I have to find the buyers for the full price of whatever it is you find."

"Seventy percent," TJ said casually.

"Sixty-nine," the dwarf returned quickly.

TJ thought about it and then said, "Seventy percent and I throw in two twenty foot lengths of basilisk skin from a creature that I found in a secreted room of Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

The dwarf's eyes widened at that. It gulped, thought about it some more and then countered, "Three twenty foot lengths of the skin you just mentioned, plus two rear fangs of the beast and seventy percent of the retail rate of any haul you cannot use from the dungeon. This should be enough to cover you for your troubles."

TJ thought about that request. It was clear that he blew it and notified them that he had access to a basilisk carcass. He sighed, thought about it. Then he nodded and held out his hand for the dwarf to shake. "Bargain agreed!"

"Bargain agreed," the dwarf said, as it shook his hand to seal the deal. He motioned at a corner of the room and a scribe came forward. TJ had a surprised expression on his young face, but the dwarf explained, "We sometimes make bargains before handing out the maps. It's quite common to have a scribe seated in the room."

"Yes, but you didn't specify the map I was to take other than to _suggest_ the one for Morgana's original temple near the Mexican border," TJ told it with a grin.

The dwarf looked to the scribe, who produced the paper contract for review. "Damn," the dwarf said. "It would have been a good bargain too."

"It still is," TJ said with a grin. "I choose to use the map to Morgana's original temple. It might be interesting to see if there's anything of value, if I happen to go further into it than others have before me."

"Add the map location and the condition of seeking any remains in the form of journals or armour belonging to the Mithril-Helm Clan," the dwarf said to the scribe. He reread the contract and then handed it over for TJ to review. "We wouldn't expect you to return with the bones, since it would disturb their spirits."

The young Gryffindor student nodded his understanding and reviewed the contract. Luckily the language was in plain English and the boy was able to sign without worrying about any additional conditions to it. He scanned it with his wand, used Parseltongue to detect the validity of the contract and sealed it with a magical bank contract quill, a famous device known as a Blood Quill.

TJ received the map and found that the last known location of the Mithril-Helm Clan members, were marked by blue marker locations on his map, and he assumed that that's where the poor creatures had died. He noticed that there were several dead-end passages, but it also seemed like he'd have to go to each one in order to make sure that he checked all possible locations for the deceased dwarves.

"Do you happen to have a sample of the armour or banner markings that I should be looking for?" TJ asked. "I could bring back everything I see, but if I get overloaded, I'll probably have to drop some things to make room for what you'd like me to retrieve, should I find them of course."

"Of course, we understand," the dwarf said and supplied him with a scroll that contained the banner styles found on various shields, weapons and armour of the Dwarven Clan called Mithril-Helm.

TJ tucked the scroll away, securely. His main goal or quest had been marked by a green marker on his map. The map, being a magical device, allowed him to '_Fast-Travel_' (...iv...) to the dungeon entrance from the bank, since it had already been found once before.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**

(...i...) Summon Wolf or Summon Rat - do not exist in the Elder Scrolls Oblivion or Skyrim as the summoned or _conjured_ creatures from those games come from a hellish dimension. I wanted more accessibly conjured creatures for this story, not that they're likely to make any appearance, but mention must be made should they occur later in the tale. Besides they seem to exist for JKRs stories.

(...ii...) -

(passing grades)

Hogwarts - O=Outstanding, E=Exceeds Expectations, A=Acceptable;

Canyon School - S=Superior, F=Fine, N=Normal

(failing grades)

Hogwarts - P=Poor, D=Dreadful, T=Troll;

Canyon School - Fw=Flawed, P=Pitted, J=Junk

(...iii...) In reference to the dwarves in my tale, I refuse to make them gender specific since I'm from the old school of D&D Games. Dwarves couldn't be told apart by gender unless you knew their names and most time that was marginal at best.

(...iv...) Concept similar to "Apparition", however I believe that the '_Fast-Travel_' spell will remain one belonging to one of the Magical Schools from the Oblivion and Skyrim universe. I plan to make this one easier to use than the one that the Witches and Wizards need a license to use. However not just anyone can use that particular method of travel unless they were taught to do so from one of the alternative magical schools. So in this story, only Harry will be able to use this ability along with anyone attending the Canyon School. He theoretically could make a charm or used an enchanted parchment kind of like a portkey, which means that there may be the chance that he could send others away, even if they didn't have an ability to activate it (hint...hint...).


	4. Chapter 4

**CH 4**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

TJ took in a deep breath. He'd been deposited in a smallish valley with no one else in sight. He looked to his map and noticed that there were a couple of entrances to some mines and caverns nearby. However that meant that they possibly existed on other maps. The green marker on his map indicated the direction he was to travel in, in order to get to the entrance of the old temple.

He double checked his gear and made sure that his small shield and short sword were in a position where he could easily take them out and use them in the defence of his person. He had several general healing potions looped and attached to his belt, again in such a way for easy access. He had one novice, healing spell in his repertoire, '_Heal Minor Wounds_' from the School of Restoration. It was a different type of spell from the ones he'd learned from his school.

Strangely, the spells from these particular schools of magic did not require that he use a wand in order to cast them. He was grateful for it too, since it allowed him to protect himself without setting off wand usage monitoring magics. He'd researched it in order to know if he could use those magics protect himself against the Dursleys should he not be able to return to the Canyon School for the following summer. Apparently he could since they were not detectable by the Ministry Standards of Magic. However he was hoping to never go back there, so the point was put to the side in his mind with the things he listed as, '_Magic to do around them in order to pay them back for their violent Paranoia_._'_

"Right then," he muttered to himself. "Let's go."

He traveled in the direction of the blinking marker on his map and it didn't take him long to reach the wooden entrance, after he'd dispatched a couple of attacking wolves and rats. It looked like it had once been a mining entrance and he thought that it might have been exactly what it was.

The rumours of a temple could be based on a long buried structure, which might still be there and intact for him to explore. At least that's what he assumed from the markings that he found on the map that indicated a change in the wall structure from unformed cavern to blocky looking passages.

TJ explored all the routes that lead to many dead end nooks. The creatures that he fought in those tunnels were mainly rats, wolves, several bears and a lot of feral non-evolved skinny looking goblins that always attacked him on sight. He assumed that those were the Low Goblins that his smelting instructor had mentioned. As soon as he'd begun his exploration, he had no choice, but to kill or be killed down there. The experience he was gaining in the use of his bow and sword, showed in the added muscle he was gaining in his arms and the quickness of his feet.

'_Thank goodness for the nutrition potions and physical exercises prescribed by the Healer,_' he thought. '_I doubt that I'd have been in shape to do any of this back when I first arrived at the school._'

He eventually finished re-mapping the primary area and found solid door to a section that had not been explored yet. He had basically fulfilled his part of the bargain having found the remains and having taken the crumbling scrolls, journals and some decent armour. Anything new, from this point on, to be discovered would truly belong to him.

He set up his house-tent in order to get a good night's sleep from his minor adventure. He warded the area with creature warding and turning spells, which essentially turned them away from a location. It worked kind of like the Muggle repelling charms he'd heard about at school, only in this case they were Wards, drawn in Runes and enhanced by magic.

The primary area or tunnels weren't that difficult, but he'd done them all in about a day and a half. He was really knackered by now.

TJ knew that the level of difficulty in any particular dungeon, temple or some other treasure hunting location was magically monitored by some unknown entity. They were never told who or how it was down, but this method of learning had been set up in the ancient times. It had been explained that many of the old maps that the students used were maps to warrior testing sites.

His fellow students had talked about their experiences. They'd been giving him advice and preparation tips for his first experience. He was glad that the set level of difficulty for his map was one that would remain unchanged, since it was based on his initial entry and current level of experience. Until he returned to the surface and slept in his room back at the Canyon School, the level of difficulty would not change while he was still inside it. Again, due do some kind of ancient monitoring device for testing warriors.

He had planned his training in particular Skills, with the aid of the Founders' tapestry portraits, since they'd had a similar learning curve, back when they'd been alive back before they decided to create the school for the growing population of wand-waving Witches and Wizards. They had decided to create the school, since the growing population in their timeline indicated that not many magical humans could learn from the Schools of Magic that they were in the process of teaching Harry.

However at the moment, before he slept he meditated, as per Rowena and Helga's instructions, in order to clear his mind and to organize his thoughts into a logical semblance of order. He had to, since he sometimes had odd nightmares that needed to be analyzed from a neutral point of view. He didn't want his fears to overwhelm him and he planned to never let his enemies see his emotional state, especially if he found himself in a battle situation with someone that had…_intelligence_?

TJ woke up after sixteen hours of uninterrupted sleep, fully refreshed.

He pulled out a few of the leather armour pieces that he'd found in the tunnels and then he stepped into his Smithing Room, where he was able to process the wolf and bear hides into workable leather and leather strips to help repair the old armour. Then smelted and forged some of the raw iron ore that he'd managed to mine and made solid fastenings in order to create; a set of leather grieves or pants, two pairs of boots one solid hard and the other of soft leather with a matching supple cuirass that would protect him. They worked even better than the Canyon School gear that he'd been assigned to use and practice with.

He then proceeded to improve his existing weapons with the skills he'd acquired through practice, sharpening his sword in such a way that it would do more damage with less swings. He made another iron short sword with the intention of using dual blades the further down he traveled. He figured that his new armour would work just as well as a shield.

However, he still preferred to pick off his enemies before they had a chance to even know that he was there, so he used his bow heavily until he ran out of arrows. He'd been able to pick up some from the ground and from his enemies, but he didn't have as much as he'd have liked to have. At the moment, he carried about fifty-six iron arrows and twenty steel arrows.

His placed his forged and refined items on his assessment book that recorded his grade and proved to his Professors that he was still studying while he was away from the school. That was, probably the only way to notify someone that he was still alive.

When he finished Smithing skills his new iron sword he received a grade of S for it and he felt a magical surge of knowledge or understanding flow into him. It was his twentieth grade of S for a particular item type; ie: 20 S grade iron daggers, 20 S grade iron swords, each set of twenty is a pass in level. He knew, from a magical sense, that his base skill levels had increased again, since he'd already experienced the sensation once before for fifty iron arrowheads graded S. He had to wait until he was back at school for his Canyon Instructors to evaluate him with their particular form of magic.

TJ rested for another three hours, before putting on his new gear and then he set out through the large wooden door, whose lock he had to pick with the lock-picks that he'd found on some of the corpses, as though he was a thief sneaking into a forbidden area. He almost didn't take them from the corpses, but he was now glad that he did.

He explored much of this new section, like he had the other. He walked slightly slower because he didn't want to move all that fast, so mostly he crouched and _sneaked_ his way through the unexplored section.

He heard a creaking sound just ahead of him and paused to see what could possibly be making that noise. The creaking came closer and a revealed an upright _skeleton_ carrying war axe that walked in his direction. The creature didn't detect him yet, so he fired a volley of two arrows, one after the other, followed by a the _flare_ spell, which created a ball of fire that hit the undead creature, blasting it a couple of feet away.

He heard that same sound further in the distance, but it seemed like the second creature didn't know that he was there. He _sneaked_ into the chamber and looked around. There were two options of leaving that particular room, but on the far side he saw the second skeleton in the distance. It was further away, but again he followed through a similar battle plan. Several volleys of arrows, followed by a couple of flare spells and the second creature was destroyed too.

TJ then examined the skeletal remains to see if they had anything of value on their carcasses. Surprisingly the weapons were available as spoils of war and they both actually had really old gold coins, plus one had a low valued non-enchanted amulet.

'_Cool,_' he thought, as he looked at the patterns on the neck ornament. '_Looks like it had never been finished or that it was made to look like something expensive. The gems in it alone have value. I'd rather it had been enchanted though, since I need enchanted items to learn specific enchantments._' (...i...)

He looked at his map and could see that the chambers he was being lead to formed a circular route, so he took his time exploring the outer ring of corridors and rooms. He found the passage that lead down a set of ancient looking worn out stairs and knew that that was the path he had to take. However, he wanted to clear the parameters first. He wasn't planning to fight his way out of the temple. He hoped that there might be a reasonably safe escape route out, but he held no hope of that being the case, as he fully expected that he'd have to go out the same way he came in.

The rooms were filled with various barrels, old leather sacks, some of which could be taken and re-spelled to hold larger loads, using the magic that Rowena had taught him, meaning the inherent magic of _Wizard Space_. It was a good thing too, since the armour from those of the Mithril-Helm Clan were, rather heavy.

His tapestry instructors had helped in the translation of these journals, which TJ had copied in order to have a record of his findings. Some of the journals contained old or ancient secrets to smithing and enchanting, which he was currently studying at the Canyon School. He was hoping that before his summer sessions were over that he'd be able to create an amulet or charm of some kind that would hide him from specific members of the Wizarding Society, namely anyone carrying a camera or those prone to staring at him.

He camped out for another twelve hours in an alcove like room near the stairwell entrance before ensuring that he'd been fully healed prior to continuing his journey. He was much further along than any other explorer that had undertaken a journey to this particular area.

TJ packed up his items and ensured that he was ready for nearly anything he may encounter down those stairs. He followed his usual pattern and snuck about the bottom chamber dealing damage to all creatures that attacked him. He was getting better at killing them from a distance.

'_Have to set up an Archery practice room in my tent or something,_' he thought, after he pegged off another walking skeleton from a distance, taking it down with a first shot because the creature hadn't seen him. '_I'd like to increase my Marksman Skill for it._'

He was aware that there might some traps in the place and he'd found a few that he had to disarm before making his way up the central steps to the huge statue figure of a really gorgeous woman who was seated in a large throne like chair. A stone Alter was located just before the figure.

He paused on this way up, there were many steps and then continued, hoping that this would be the end of his journey and that no other prophecy existed for him. He suspected that he'd be out of luck, though, especially from the way that Rowena spoke about them.

The woman's statue developed a ghostly, misty outline of a real woman, superposed over the seated figure. "Tiber James Snape," the figure paused and then continued. "Child born of the wand-wavers, also known as Harry James Potter, you have made a long journey from your home, what is your wish?"

"Wish," TJ asked in a confused tone. "I have no wish."

The woman's image paused and then she continued, "I am a projection of the Seeress Morgana and contain all known prophecies and visions of the past and future. Prophecies have been written about you and your adversaries. However you will never be told the whole of it until too late, unless I tell you now, do you wish to know?"

Harry known as Tiber, gulped. He wasn't sure that he wanted to know, but something about the fact that she said he'd never be told the whole of it until too late, made him wonder just who else knew about a prophesy or something like it.

'_Who_,' he thought. '_Who in my life... would withhold this kind of information from me and why would they do such a thing?_' A flash of twinkling blue eyes appeared in his mind and he knew then who not to fully trust with his well-being. This was the person who'd send him back to the Dursleys, especially, if the man had learnt of his summer plans.

TJ sighed, nodded his head and said, "Yes, I wish to know the pertinent prophesies regarding me and my adversaries."

"Very well," the Morgana statue said. "Five years before your birth the first prophesy from a goblin Seeress is:

..._The one who learns the magics of old will destroy the undead creature, born of untutored necromantic magic and shall re-form the world with the re-immergence of lost magics and skill..._

Three years before your birth the second prophesy, from servant elves, states:

..._The one who learns the skills of old will defeat the followers of the undead creature, born of untutored Dark magic, who failed in the making of his final vessel due to ancient blood magics..._

One year before your birth, a third prophesy from the Oracle Clan of the stout miners, is:

..._Hidden, ancient scholars, the thread-born, shall teach the One, who'll destroy the undead wand-waving creature born of blackened magic..._

Another, lengthy one, since it was the only one made by a human, is this:

..._The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power that the Dark Lord knows not...And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..._ (...ii...).

A final one, as others made after it, run on a similar theme to the previous, all from the other magical races other than the pure humans:

..._The tournament gong heralds the coming Dark One. Evil will rise once more and the links forged by the Undying Dark must be found and shattered by the Chosen One, before peace returns_..."

The statue then stilled and the ghostly, superposed image faded.

Harry had pulled out a scrap piece of scroll paper and had written every single one of those prophesies down, including their origins. He was furious about the human prophesy because of the detail it contained. It was one of '_kill or be killed_' and yet there was something more to it because of the others that he'd heard. His solution could be found by studying the other prophecies.

He sat down on the Alter that was before the statue and he started to shed a few tears. His first year of school, he'd felt the overwhelming pressure of being introduced to the magical world, as the Boy-Who-Lived. He'd had a hard time adjusting from being some nobody in the Muggle Realm to being a kind of bloody saviour in the Wizarding World. He was pressured by his then best friends to figure out the secret living in the school.

His second year was no better, since his friend, Ron Weasley had expected him to help in the rescue of his baby sister. He'd felt the pressure of his status descend upon him from the moment some blasted news photographer had taken his image when Lockhart had grabbed him for a photo opportunity.

Even last year, the whole Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Dementor fiasco had him pining for a regular school year, but after hearing these prophesies, he knew that he wasn't going to get it. He knew, without doubt that the Headmaster of his school knew something about the human Prophesy, all because of the events that happened to him since his first year of school.

He knew now that the old man was doing his best to see if he, Harry Potter, a boy of great human and magical expectations, could in fact defeat, destroy or vanquish the Dark Lord, as per the prophesy that had probably came from Professor Trelawney's mouth.

"IT'S NOT BLOODY FAIR," he screamed and his words came back echoing in the temple chamber. Then he yelled, as much as roared his frustration at the position that he was being forced to play. He sent out blasts of flares, flames and other elemental Destructive Magic out into the chamber, without doing any real damage. He cried and sobbed, as he muttered, "I bet all of this will happen before I'm come of age too, before I can even become man of worth."

He wiped his nose on the sleeve of his shirt before he could compose himself enough to explore the rest of the chamber further. He wasn't foolish enough to not gather his spoils of war and leave the area without checking the chests he noticed in the hidden corners. It was a mindless task to occupy him, before he turned his thoughts to tackling his latest dilemma.

He suddenly felt the weight of all the human expectations, but he planned to consult his '_thread-born teachers_' on the matter. He certainly hoped that they would be able to guide him or teach him about some of the things that came from the missing pages of the compendium that he'd been studying from.

"I hope that they'll explain the Horcrux thing, so that I might better understand what the Dark Idiot had done to himself to earn the title of '_Undead Creature_' and '_Undead Dark_' in these prophesies," he thought to himself, out loud, as he located a small passage to the rear of the seated stature.

The passageway lead him out of the temple rooms and by-passed the already explored areas. Several chests were tucked into that passageway, too. He picked the locked ones and scavenged all the magical artefacts that he could find in order to be able to disenchant them in order to gain the ability to enchant some of items. Duplicate enchantments and items would be sold to the dwarves as per his contract. Triplicate magical items, well depending on the enchantment, may be kept for personal use and protection. Sometimes the good stuff was still the old stuff untouched by time.

'_You never know when something will be useful,_' he thought, as he fingered an amulet that protected someone against Ice spells to a certain degree.

The dwarves of Stoneguard Bank had withheld any hope that young Tiber James Snape would return within the allotted time frame. The youth had taken much longer than the expected five-day exploration. It was a timeline that only existed because it that was the average time that most students took before they returned to the bank. To have any student or dungeon explorer return later, always meant that students would give up their education in the Canyon School or that the explorers were irrevocably harmed and could no longer do any kind of magic or else they had perished.

Tiber's return had been noted as being an extraordinary one, in that he had returned in nearly full health, since he'd taken the last of his healing drafts. His magical reserves hadn't recharged fully after his last round of fighting skeletons, which there were only a few of them in the final tunnels on his way out of the old temple.

The youth was lead back to the map chamber of Stoneguard in order to return the completed map and to conclude the conditions of his exploration contract. The Mithril-Helm Clan was pleased with the outcome.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**

(...i...) This story will contain the Skyrim and Oblivion method of for learning enchantments, using an Arcane Enchanter and am planning to use the Oblivion method for spell creation, using a Spell Alter, with the similar conditions of area of effect (_self, touch, on target, etc..._, _damage_ and _duration_.)

(...ii...) Direct quote, found on www dot hp-lexicon dot org/wizards/trelawney dot html#prophecies (remove the spaces and change the dots to access the web site or else re-read the Order of the Phoenix book, volume 5 of the series)


	5. Chapter 5

**CH 5**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

TJ tossed and turned in his bed. He'd just finished a major practical exam and his body was exhausted. He'd returned to his little house tent that had been located in a room with five other tents and barely waved to his teaching portraits before shucking his clothes to the ground and disappearing into his sleeping chamber.

The four were amused by the youth's absentminded manners. Rowena did call out to him, loudly saying, "Make sure you clear your mind before going to sleep, Harry!"

"He won't," Tiber commented.

"Aye," Godric agreed. "I remember those kinds of tests. To reach a high skill level or the ability to work with other metals means that part of the test is to smelt it first. So far all he'd ever worked with was iron and steel."

"Poor boy," Helga commented. "He's younger than you were when you took those tests, right?"

"I had a wand and had been given instruction in it since I was a tot," Godric confirmed. "The High Goblins were the ones that had recommended me to the Alps School of Smithing. I wonder why he didn't go there for his training?"

"Maybe it no longer exists in this timeline," Rowena said. "Like many other things."

They'd been surprised at the current curriculum that Harry had told them about the things being taught at Hogwarts. There was no fencing or sword-play lessons of any kind, no true alchemy lessons and the spells and charms that he'd been learning in his third year were usually what they considered house-management spells, which were taught to a student as soon as they came to the school. They did agree that the stronger the foundation in learning needed to be done. They had told him that the length of school studies had been between three to five years, depending on a student, not a mandatory attendance for seven.

The four continued this discussion as Harry was deep in sleep and dreaming heavily of events taking place far away from here. He awoke late that night at a time closer to the earlier morning, startled by what he'd witnessed. '_Serves me right for not clearing my mind,_' he thought with a shake of his head. '_I have to record all of this._'

He got up, frowned at the state of his clothes, but rubbed his scar, as though to get rid of it. He grimaced and stripped out of the rest in order to take a deep scrubbing shower. He flicked his wand and sent any clothing lying around to the laundry hamper.

His famous scar burned, as though it had been a conduit for some electric pulse or shock. He recalled much of his dream and promptly threw up much of what he'd eaten that day. He knew that his scar had burned with the negative form of magic, known as the Dark Arts, but he understood it on an instinctual level as something that had been born first from the Necromantic School of Magic.

Half an hour later he was seated cross-legged in front of the portraits performing several spells at once. They were used to seeing this method of casting with him and had done their best to explain that everyone's magical understanding was different. He shouldn't expect any of his fellow students to have the same skills. In fact others might have different strengths in their chosen field of magic that they can manipulate, which he couldn't; like Herbology or Potions from the witchcraft and wizardry perspective.

Harry used his magic to call forth several scrolls of paper to him and with Rowena's soft voice guiding him, he transcribed nearly word for word in a script format who said what in his dream. He also used artists' coloured sketching pencils and charcoal to draw image upon image of what he'd seen. His drawing ability wasn't good, but this was more of a copy of what he'd seen with the tools he had on hand for such purposes. This process helped him with notes for his outdoor classes.

His ability to multi-cast surged and he added a third scroll to the whirl of magic and on that one he noted all of his personal feelings and impressions of the dream event.

He even noted that he'd had a sense of vertigo. He had felt that he'd been seeing everything in the dream, as though he'd been experiencing the whole thing firsthand from different viewpoints. He saw the graveyard and the house, when he suddenly was in it and following a conversation between the Dark Lord and his servant Peter Pettigrew.

The spells were performed at the same time that he was organizing his thoughts. The scratching of the pens and pencils continued for a while until his mind recalled the final image of the odd creature in the chair that had caused him to wake up and eventually to vomit. The picture being created of it was not a pretty one.

Harry's eyes opened and then he pulled all the papers to him. He sorted them with magic and ensured that each one had a magically applied date and time stamp. He had three stacks of sheets in front of him. "I'm going to have to make copies of these," he said to his teachers. "Where can I find a spell for that, something more official and protected then the regular copy spell?"

"In the library," Rowena said. "There's a book called, '_Small Business Spells_'. It should have several spells for duplication of paperwork. It's a good thing you stamped them with a date and time of the occurrence, since I believe, that is a factor in creating magical duplicate documents that are protected."

"Thank you," Harry said. He stepped into the small library that he'd taken from the Chamber of Secrets and looked to the shelves under the _**S**_ section. He'd reorganized the books in that library with an old-fashioned card file system and in alphabetical order by title. He chose to keep it that simplified since many of the books fit too many categories to separate into, hence the card file with notes about what the books contained. His school library had specific sections for Potions, Defence, Transfiguration, etc...

He found the book quickly and then studied the section on the duplication of official documents. There was even a small section on binding them after they'd been copied and storing them in boxes.

..._Copying documents require additional blank sheets of parchment or a pre-bound book of blank pages. A blank scroll is recommended when transcribing the contents of old scrolls to a new one. It is not recommended to bind multiple scrolls of different contents or subject matter together. One is less likely to lose the information that way._

_The blank sheets or a blank book cannot be spelled for preservation until all the needed notes and documents have been transcribed. As the preservation spells are usually security spells to prevent alteration to the information._

_The spell words are '__**Duplicatum**__'__ and '__**Transcriptus**__'. As with all magic, intense concentration is required in order to successfully copy a document. Ensure that you follow the language logistics to maintain the number of copies to the limit of the caster's choice. To aid one, a time and date stamp is advisable..._

"Wow, that's a bit more complicated," Harry said.

"Nonsense," Tiber said. "Just do it in Parseltongue. That way you don't have to conjugate the verbs and words into Latin."

"Latin is the European common tongue for spells," Rowena said.

"I still think he needs to learn a few other common languages while he still can," Godric said.

"If I had a time-turner, I'd gladly learn whatever other language you want me to learn," Harry told them. "I, apparently, have prophesies about a Dark Lord seeking to kill me and I know that the blighter is at least over fifty or sixty years old. He's had the time to learn much more than I."

The Founders gathered together in one tapestry to discuss the situation, while Harry was going through a list of people he knew that he could tell about his dream. He was fourteen now, as he birthday had passed and he was due to catch the next underwater sailing ship to Easter Wales, a magical harbour town, which would allow him to catch the lime green, '_special transit to all ports of call only no side pick-ups_' or so he'd been, magical Knight Bus to the Leaky Cauldron. It was just another version of the Knight Bus, similar to Britain's cross-country triple-decker purple one that he'd taken last summer to get to the magical port town.

He'd been surprised that underwater sailing ships existed, but figured as magical travel methods that he'd read about this was one of the more pleasant ones. He likened it to traveling on an old sailing ship and submarine at the same time. He'd listened to some tales about how the ship didn't travel that much when the second Muggle war was happening since they seemed to have underwater ships too. They still had to be careful and so most of the underwater ships were undetectable by sonar, which was a good thing, since they didn't show up on the Muggle radars that way.

'_If I told Hermione about the dream and my scar, she'd say to send a letter to the Headmaster about it,_' he thought. '_Then she'd likely think that a cure or information about this situation could be found in some book._' He cared about the girl to an extent, but honestly not everything can be found in a book.

'_If I told Ron about it, he'd stutter out something about You-Know-Who and then say that I should talk about it with some adult, more than likely he'd name his father, since that's who he'd trust._' He paused and the continued his thought, '_Who would I trust? Who should I trust with this information? A woman was murdered to bring back the Dark Lord in some kind of infant form that looked like an oversized garden grub with arms and a head._'

He shuddered as that image floated to the foreground of his thoughts again. '_Disgusting_,' he thought. '_That poor old muggle, the silly old fool! You should never go to an abandoned house like that without calling the police. Wonder why he did it though?_'

He paced the room and glanced at the papers. He re-opened the business book and focused on learning the wand movements with the foil-like knife he'd created to use as a practice wand. It didn't have a hand guard, but a patterned weave of different coloured leather strips wrapped at the larger end.

It was one that he'd created for one of his primary smithing tests and was made of iron. It was more rod-like than a regular flat blade, with a slight octagon shape that had sharpened edges. The test had been about shaping the metals with magic. It was still a very good piercing weapon, but the dwarves had been impressed with it because of the way it looked and moved like a real wand.

Harry took out some of his old school notes from his second year of Defence Against the Dark Arts. They were the notes that he'd taken in the beginning before the true nature of Lockhart's classes had been discovered and the '_Golden Trio_' had been forced to self-study the rest of the year's schedule.

He then took some foolscap sheets to use as trial paper for transcribing his notes. He made several attempts in Latin until he did it in the only other language he knew, (...Back-to-back, copy, transcribe, first three pages...)

Then he watched in fascination as words and ink appeared on the blank pages, as though being writing by an invisible hand. It wrote everything in exactly the same sloppy handwriting that belonged to him. "Damn," he said. Then he explained to the portraits that had focussed their attention on him when he'd sworn. "I was hoping that I could change the letter characters too, to be more legible."

"You can," Tiber said with a chuckle. "Just say the type of font you'd like to see, you can even alter the original language to one that you understand, but sometimes it is best to learn from the original. But in order to copy your writing in a better form, you should do your best to improve it."

"Why," Harry asked, as he played with copying his old school notes.

"Sometimes the original languages will have different nuances to words that can change quite a few things," Rowena explained. "We've discussed this and there is a way to learn other languages, but it can only be done as long as you're under the age of sixteen. The written language is beautiful when done correctly and a person should take pride in writing something properly." She sniffed when she noticed his chicken-scratch writing.

"I promise to practice it," Harry said and thought about the primary books that he'd used as a kid when learning his letters, he hoped to find some that instructed him in using calligraphy pens, since that was the only thing he could think of. Then he looked up from examining his handwriting and asked, "Why sixteen?"

"It's easier for the sleep magic to be absorbed before you reach the age of sixteen," Helga explained. "Your body at sixteen is preparing for a magical maturation that opens your magical channels and increases your base core. Sleep magic is magic that takes place while you sleep. You can program the magic to include books of language and there are a few that are vocal books to learn speech patterns with. I recommend that you begin with Latin in its complete form and then select French, followed by German and one or two of the Asian languages."

"All right," Harry said. "Do you think it will work now, since I've been learning to meditate and clear my mind?"

"I believe that it will work better because of it," Rowena said. "You may still be able to learn other languages through sleep after your sixteenth, but it may take longer for you absorb them before of your body maturation preparations."

"This was the way we learned to communicate with other creatures, not of human origin," Godric explained. "It didn't cover social conventions though, but at least we were understood and we could understand them when we talked or corresponded with them."

"I wonder, if there'd have been less Goblin Wars, if the wizards of those times had studied the language," Harry thought out loud.

"You have got to get a library portrait for us," Rowena said with her arms crossed. "It must be something more recent than what we have, in order to use it to study from. We want to know about the changes in your society."

"I am looking into it," Harry said. He was, as he'd asked his Canyon School instructors about such portraits or possible tapestries. They'd been surprised by his request, but were pleased to assist him, for the modest fee of several lengths of basilisk skin to work with for training and for personal clan reasons. The Mithril-Helm Clan had not been silent about their sources.

"There are several leads on the go," he held up his hand. "...and I'm looking for an alchemy-potions station portrait, a mining and forge portrait, plus one with an arcane enchanter with multiple items stored for the creation of things in all of them. The dwarves of Stoneguard will let me know before I have to head back to England. I told them that I'd pay to have them newly created too, if they knew of properly skilled persons for the job."

"I knew you wouldn't let us down," Tiber said. "So what about your enchanting lessons, still going to get your ears pierced?"

"Yes," Harry said. "I had to commission a pair of enchanted earrings that will automatically cause any pictures or photographs taken of me, to come out very blurry or washed out in one solid colour. I made a ring that will send out low grade shocking zap spells to the backside of anyone that pays too much time staring at me, which I'll control. It'll still give me enough time to get away from any unwanted audiences. I'm planning to make several or else make one that I can control which spell is sent and the intensity of the warning."

"Good on you," Godric said with a laugh. "I wouldn't stand for that kind of attention, unless it was required, you know politically and all that."

"I figure that I'll still have a few good years at the school to avoid that kind of situation," Harry said. "But I sincerely doubt that since they tend to like taking my picture."

"What are you going to do about that dream you had," Tiber asked.

"I'm thinking that I have to let someone know about it," Harry explained. "But there aren't many adults I could send any of this, let alone only a part of it to."

"What about your godfather," Helga suggested. "Surely he'd be able to help you out. I'm also sure that he'd be disappointed to know that he wasn't your first choice."

Harry sighed and said, "I only found out about him two months ago. I'm not use to turning to an adult for things, especially of this nature. But you're right, I think I will write to him about it and include some of the information."

He sat at his desk and selected certain parts of it to send to his godfather, Sirius Black. The man should be able to find information about the dead muggle at the very least, unless the man's corpse had been banished or buried in that graveyard that he saw in his dream.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

_Dear Sirius,_

_Thank you for your letters this summer. It's been refreshing to receive anything that had nothing to do with the school's homework or Quidditch. _

_That bird was wondrously magical and really huge too._

_My private tutors were impressed with it and begged it for some of its feathers, since they're catching me up in potions because I, as they say '__**sorely missed the fundamentals**__'. The bird positively preened to have been of service. Although, Hedwig wasn't thrilled about it because some other bird was supplying down and flight feathers for potions for me. Personally, I think she was a bit jealous, since she's very protective of my attentions if I focus on other birds._

_I'm quite OK, in health and all that and have managed to complete my summer studies for the coming fourth year at Hogwarts. It's a thing that I'm quite certain that Hermione will demand to see and correct, if I give her that chance._

_Did you ever have someone like that in your life? She seems to want to take on a role of '__**mother**__' or some such thing, which I confess is one of her personality flaws that I don't like or appreciate._

_Ron on the other hand is so Quidditch crazy that I do wonder just how far he's gotten in his studies. I know that the Quidditch World Cup is happening this summer. He gave me a book for my birthday called '__**Flying with the Cannons**__', as though they're the only Quidditch team that exists out there._

_Anyway, a weird thing happened to me in the small hours of this morning. I woke up from a strange dream and my scar was hurting. The last time I felt something like that was in first year when that '__**Dark Idiot**__' possessed one of my Professors. I have copies of some of the dream sequence, but do you reckon that a scar like mine would still hurt years after the fact?_

_Any insight would be useful and we should really find another way to communicate in the near future, since I don't want you to get caught. Want my cloak?_

_Say hello to Buckbeak for me._

_Harry_

_PS: What do you think of my handwriting? My tutors wanted me to improve my writing so that I show pride in the written word. What do you think?_

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

TJ re-read the letter to his godfather and nodded, thinking that it sounded all right. He then packaged the papers in a small, enchanted leather pouch that he'd created for his godfather. It contained instructions on its use, plus a much longer letter confessing to the man that he wasn't living with the Dursleys this summer, at all. He figured that since summer was almost over, it would be something relatively safe to confess, after all the man already knew that he was looking to attend summer school, not that he'd actually done it. The pouch also contained a long fine graded steel sword that had earned him is fifth F grade in metal working class using steel ore and long iron dagger of N grade to aid in the man's defence, he had a lot of those.

He hoped that Sirius would understand his reasons for the choices he'd made this year. He did say that he'd been accepted for a summer study program at another magical school, but he didn't mention which one it was, in case the information was found out.

He lightened the pouch before tying it to Hedwig's waiting leg. "Take this to Sirius and then wait for a reply," he told her. "I'll be traveling back to England in two days time, so just wait until I'm at a stable location before coming back to me, make sure that you hunt and feed too. I'll probably be at the Leaky Cauldron or the Weasleys by then."

Hedwig hooted and nibbled his ear, before she took off through the tent's open door and then through the high window in the door of the dorm room.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**


	6. Chapter 6

**CH 6**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry had returned to England in time to meet up with the Weasley family. He had planned it carefully, so that he could collect his study material and anything needed for his fourth year at Hogwarts.

He'd finally made the grade in this Smithing and Enchanting program at the Canyon School and he was officially the youngest on record to reach the Apprentice Level for Enchanting and Smithing. He reached the Apprentice Levels for the Alteration and Destruction Schools of Magic too. Although he was still a Novice in the Illusion, Conjuration and Restoration Schools, but that couldn't be helped. He mainly used Destruction spells for forging and he'd used Alteration spells, mainly '_Protect_' when he was in Morgana's Temple.

Helga had told him that Restoration Magic took a long time to learn and only through repeated use could he improve the skill. It would only work if he was damaged in some way and he refused to damage others by '_absorbing_' their skills to improve his own, even if the effect was only temporary. Therefore he mostly only used three of the sixteen spells for that particular school of magic. (...i...) They were, _Heal Minor Wounds_, _Fortify Fatigue_, and _Minor Respite_.

As for the Conjuration school, well that one he figured that he had time to practice on his own, after he'd been able to find a spell book that taught the _Bound Dagger_ spell. It was one that used the least amount of energy when he was planning to use it repeatedly until he could access the larger Summon spells, he'd yet to find.

The reason for the lack of much skill in the Illusions School of Magic was based on the fact that most of those spells were meant to fool the senses. Although, he did enjoy the _Illuminate_ and the _Serenity_ spells, because they calmed him the most when he awoke with a nightmare. He had been able to insert a couple of mixed spells into a pair of earring studs, only it wasn't enough to activate the protective feature that he'd been seeking.

He had, therefore, commissioned a more impressive pair of earring studs with his birthstone gem, from the Mithril-Helm jewellers because he wanted them to be in place before he rejoined the Wizarding Society of UK Witches and Wizards. These devices are perfect since they would prevent photographs from being captured or from him begin recognized when he was out in public, thus protecting him from any type of invasion to his privacy. Also, they were protected from detection due to an added Chameleon Spell attached for a _constant effect_, making them invisibly undetectable by wand-waving magic.

Harry had just finished shopping for his school robes, which he'd had custom fitted to his needs with many inside pockets of Wizard Space, including one set of formal robes. He'd never seen them listed on his student equipment lists to date, but he wasn't going to show up at school without them. He wasn't comfortable with those robes, but he ensured that they were fitted properly and that the colour suited him. He sincerely hoped that he wouldn't have to wear them any time soon and if he'd had his choice in the matter he wouldn't have purchased the set in the first place.

He still had a few potions ingredients left to buy and then he was prepared to meet with the Weasleys at the Leaky Cauldron. Apparently Ron had been impatient to speak to him, since in his letters he'd informed Harry that his father had managed to obtain tickets to the Quidditch World Cup. There were enough tickets for all the kids present at the Weasley household to attend and his gangly friend had been giddy about it ever since.

The letters Harry received from him contained nothing and everything to do with Quidditch, while Hermione's letters were more about his homework or his study habits. He answered the letters without giving them much information other than to answer their questions about his health and whether they needed to fetch him again.

Luckily he'd been able to stop them from doing anything foolish and told them when and where he'd meet them. He'd been adamant that they were not to go to the muggle house, since he'd inferred that his family had taken a holiday during the summer and that he'd been gone with them, which was why his letters took a long to time get to them.

'_Hopefully, that excuse will work again the following year,_' he thought, as his back was forcefully slapped by the hand of his male friend. '_Idiot,_' he thought. '_I have more important things to think about then some game, even if it is the World Cup. Don't know that I'd be able to enjoy myself too much after learning about those dratted prophecies. At the very least, my mind is protected with the help of my teachers. This school year should be interesting with the Tournament coming, I wonder if they know it._'

Harry composed his expressions and feelings to the point where he unconsciously cast a couple of fast acting, low duration _Serenity_ spells. They calmed him and allowed him to express his gratitude for the invitation and to fool them all into believing that he was glad to see them. He sighed and then put on his proper Gryffindor mask and was prepared to act the part he needed to play in order to ensure that no one found out about his secret abilities or the strange magic that he was learning on the side.

The Weasleys all stopped off at the Burrow to store the school supplies that they'd picked and to pack lightly for their camping trip to the Quidditch World Cup that was taking place in Ireland. The Ministry of Magic had found the location listed as an abandoned moor and had had it completely warded against muggles so that they could put up the official stadium. Unfortunately the camping grounds nearby were run by muggles, so they had officials on sight to deal with the _Secrecy_ situation.

They slept over night, sharing Ron's room with Fred and George since the elder Weasley brothers, Bill and Charlie, were in residence for this apparent once in a lifetime event. The twins whispered some of their plans into the night and Harry overheard much about the boy's plan for their future '_Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes_' joke-shop.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Early the following morning, Harry and Hermione were introduced to the wonderful world of long distance magical travel otherwise known as a Portkey. "An innocuous object is spelled with the coordinates, date and time," Mr. Weasley explained to them. "Everyone has to be touching the key and anything they intend to bring with them before being transported to another location."

They met up with Cedric Diggory, a seventh year Hufflepuff student and fellow Quidditch Seeker, with his father, Amos, who bragged that his son had been the only one last year to beat the famous Harry Potter to the snitch the year before. After the bit of bragging the other man, explained the rest about Portkey travel. "You all have to be touching the portkey, one finger will do or else you will be left behind."

Harry paused a moment during the search to sip some water, as they all had to look for the portkey, which they'd been told would look like muggle rubbish. Once it had been found, an old shoe, he wondered if the travel would in any way be similar to the _fast-travel_ method that he'd experienced and learned this summer.

An hour later, as soon as his stomach had settled from the unnatural jolt, he concluded that it was not the same method of travel. He would have much preferred some other method, but had been told that they were too young to Apparate legally. So portkeys were the only method that underage witches and wizards could travel long distances that the witches and wizards knew about. Percy, Charlie and Bill Weasley were going to apparate there later.

Once Harry's senses were settled, he found out they had a muggle campsite reserved. They were able to share the wizard house-tents at their location, but since he had his own with him, he set it up and chose to use it instead of sharing the other one with the Weasley men.

The way he set his up quickly and without magic had impressed Hermione and the others. She had a strange look on her face when she noticed that all three were just pup tents, until the tents had been explained away, as actually being very different on the inside.

The other males, all Weasleys, were confined to the larger one that smelled of cats, while the two girls used a smaller one that was basically just a two, bedroom apartment style tent.

"When did you get that," Ron asked, when his friend had pulled out a similar tent from his back pack, which had been enchanted to have more capacity than it looked.

"Just before the last Hogsmeade weekend," Harry replied, after he'd manually set up his tent. "I received a note from Sirius where he'd given his permission for me to visit the village. Since the Dementors were taken away, McGonagall had no choice, but to accept it." He looked up from his handy work and then said. "I think you were in detention that day."

"You could've told me that you were going there," Ron said in a petulant tone of voice. "I would've asked you to pick me up some chocolate frogs."

"It wasn't a planned trip," Harry told him. "I just went there to browse around and see the place on my own. I wanted to visit it for a bit, without a plan for doing anything. I liked exploring the village, when I found a store that sold a bit of everything. I found this and just had to buy it." He didn't mention that the reason he bought was for summer school, but even if he hadn't gone, he'd have still bought, in case the Dursleys had locked him out of their house again, during the summer.

"Fine then," Ron said, putting it out of his mind, as his father was speaking with Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch. The sporty looking wizard hinted broadly at a particular activity that may be happening at their school this year.

"Do you mean the Triwizard Tournament," Harry asked.

Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch frowned at the Boy-Who-Lived. "Where did you hear about that," Mr. Crouch asked in a tone that indicated he was extremely displeased. "That information is confidential."

"No so much, if you have subscriptions to international magazines and newspapers," Harry said in a cheeky tone. "The Canadian magazine, _Maple Magic Saga_ carried articles about it, the United States paper called the _Eagle Courier_, had feature stories on past tournaments. _Popular Peru_, admittedly a gossip rag had the sensational death-toll stats, plus the _Aztec Announcer_ had much the same as the other magazines, not to mention the _International Wizard Times Magazine_ from three different European Countries, each edition had a lot of background information on the tournaments from the past. Also there was mention of it in that new bi-weekly one, _The Underground Courier_. Just how confidential was that information supposed to be, if all those papers and magazines mentioned it?"

Mr. Crouch was offended by the question and resolved to find out where the leak in his office came from. Mr. Bagman on the other hand, had officially changed the subject.

"So any of you want to make a little flutter on the game today," Mr. Bagman asked, looking around to all the children and adults present.

"Sorry, I only make bets with dwarves or high goblins when invited to so, Mr. Bagman," Harry said, cutting twins off before they could do something foolish. He'd overheard their plans and wanted to give them a fighting chance at gaining some serious money. He'd surprised the man and the others with that statement.

"Why, young Harry," Mr. Bagman had asked him. "Surely you'd believe that I'm honourable enough to pay my debts."

"No sir," Harry said, as he secured his tent against intrusion by activating the runes stitched on the edge of his tent's door. "I don't trust adults anymore than I can levitate them, sir. Besides, goblins and dwarves are contracted to pay up when payment is due. If I were to bet with you, how would I have any guarantee of payment? Would you be willing to sign a magically binding contract?"

"Ah, no," Mr. Bagman said, clearly stumped about it, but he accepted Mr. Weasley's one Galleon bet for Ireland to win.

Fred and George looked at each other and then to Harry, who just looked right back at them. "Little Harry brother..."

"Yes, little brother Harry," continued Fred. "Do you have..."

"Any ideas for us to make oodles from gambling our money..." George asked.

"I might," Harry said. "I have a few connections that I intend to visit before the game begins. Did you want to join me?"

"Harry," Hermione said in a scandalized tone. "Gambling's illegal!"

"Not so young lady," Mr. Bagman said. "It's only Muggles that have those kinds of laws. Gambling is regulated and permitted here, if you'll excuse me, I see someone I must speak with..." He left them since he'd lost his chance to gamble against Mr. Weasley's twin boys. They'd looked like they had more than just a Galleon to bet.

"See," Harry told her in a vindicated tone with his arms crossed against the attack on his morals, that he knew was coming from her direction. "I'm not arguing with you about it. This way you two," he said quickly, as he grabbed the robe sleeves of his friend's twin brothers. He walked away quickly in order to avoid from being followed by the others, who were still gaping open mouthed at their quick exit.

"Oh, Harrykins," George said. "Just where..."

"Do you think you're taking us," Fred finished asking.

"Did you or did you not want to place a legal bet," Harry asked, as he stopped to inspect a vendor's goods. The man was selling something called Omnioculars and the explanation of them reminded him of the muggle version of video recording devices.

"These are genius," Fred said.

"To bad we want to bet our money for our future," George said.

"I'll get them for you," Harry told them. "Tush," he waved away their protests. "If I'm your honorary little brother then that means I owe you all at least one decent and one indecent birthday present within my life time."

"What do you mean," George asked, as he stalled his twin from saying anything more.

"Well that's what my godfather told me in a letter once," Harry said. "He said that he'd missed a lot of birthdays and so it was his job to make sure that I had one real decent present and one really indecent present. He told me I had to wait a couple of years for the indecent one though, but he's the one that bought me my Firebolt."

"Brilliant," Fred said.

"All right then," George added and then asked, "Are you going to get one for Ron and Hermione too?"

"Might as well," Harry said. He picked out a pair of dark green tinted brass oculars for himself, a plain brass set for Ron and a pink tinted brass set for Hermione. "Think I should get a pair for Ginny too?"

"She might feel left out if you didn't," Fred said. "Just don't encourage her notions about you, though, if you're not interested in them."

"Thanks for the warning, I promise I won't," Harry said wryly as he picked out another set of pint tinted brass ones for the girl. "You two can pick some coloured ones out, if you like." Those were about two galleons more, but he encouraged the twins to choose them.

"Right-o," Fred said, as he chose a bright purple pair, while his brother chose a deep dark blue tinted set.

"Thanks Harry," George said, as the younger Gryffindor handed the man the exact change plus 6 sickles for a copy of the instruction manuals, a carrying bag and a length of linked chain, all matching the Omniocular colours that they'd just bought. The chain clicked onto the sides of the oculars securely through magic. The boys bagged their nifty little devices and hung them about their necks in an effort to not lose them.

Harry cast several protection spells on his and those that he'd bought for the others. Then he continued to lead the twins to an area that not many young folk knew about. He'd been told about such locations from the Clan of Mithril-Helm, as they had several representatives at many of magical sporting events that take place around the world. He'd been given, ironically, a self-updating map to those betting locations just in case he'd ever managed to attend such an event.

"Whoa there Harry," Fred said and entered the tent cautiously in front of his young friend and self-adopted little brother.

"I'll follow after you," George said, with a small nudge to Harry's back. The youth just shrugged and let the two older boys act as protectors, if it made them feel better.

They entered the carnival, looking tent, which had several booths set up much like the teller podiums from the magical Banks. The Boy-Who-Lived approached one that contained a particular clan banner that he'd been familiar with since this past summer.

"Hallo," he said with a slight bow with his hand on the hidden short sword that he carried with him everywhere. "My brothers seek to place an honest wager."

"We were not aware you had living family, young Snape," the dwarf said.

Fred and George were wide-eyed with they heard that and turned a questioning look to the saucer-eyed younger boy, who's alias had just been exposed.

"I don't," Harry swallowed his trepidation and said, "I go by the name Potter when in this magical jurisdiction."

The dwarves were shocked. They had no record of the difference in names, but they quickly fixed it and made sure that no slip-ups could occur in the future. In the meantime Harry told the twins that he needed an oath from the two of them to never reveal what they'd just learnt. The alias magic would have protected him anyway, but he didn't want them to know about that spell. It would have been unnatural to not demand that an oath be taken.

"I'll explain later," Harry told them. He turned back to the bookie and said, "These two fine gentlemen wish to wager on the upcoming game."

"Very well," the dwarf said. It then explained the odds on favourite and the different little bets that can take place.

The twins had whispered together and finally Fred said, "We bet that Ireland will win by a Quaffle."

"But that Krum will catch the snitch," George continued.

The dwarves looked to one another and noticed that their booth had attracted attention from their high goblin counterparts, since no one had suggested one of those terms yet.

"Will that be three bets or only one," the dwarf said, writing down the bets listing them.

The twins looked at Harry, who'd only said, "The choice is yours. I'll place mine after you two are done."

The twins exchanged looks and asked, "What are the odds for one whole bet?"

The dwarves looked surprised. They consulted quickly in their own language, coming to the conclusion that this one would be deemed a very long shot bet. It would have to exceed the normal range. They figured that two fifth year Hogwarts students would not have that much money to bet with so they made the boys a fair deal, especially since they were in the company of someone that had aided their clan.

"A-hem," the dwarf at the teller booth noised. "We're willing to give you three thousand, one hundred and twenty to one odds, on that particular bet. Since you've introduced it, we have to mark it on the board. Any other bets on it will decrease the odds, but the contract will let you know about any future changes before the game begins. Payment is made in full by the one placing the bet and if there is a pay out to the bettor should the odds favor a win, then the money will be directly deposited into your personal vault. If you lose, you don't receive anything in return. Think of it like muggle horse racing."

This had the twins cringing since they hadn't been able to open up a personal vault yet.

"Use my Stoneguard vault number," Harry said to the dwarves. "If they win, place the money in a holding box with their name on it until they have their own vault set up or otherwise by written statement from myself to withdraw the box. Guys," he asked the twins. He hoped that the arrangement would be acceptable to them.

"Agreed," Fred said, quickly, handing over thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles and three Knuts.

George looked at the youth and nodded, while saying, "More to explain later then."

Harry nodded and then told the dwarves the vault number. The twins were handed their betting contract and a stern lecture that if they lose the contract the dwarves would not pay out any winnings. They then waited outside while the younger Gryffindor placed his own bet.

"I want to place 100 Galleons on that large pay-off same as the one they'd just placed and then an additional 25 Galleons as insurance bets on the following," Harry said. "...1) Ireland to win, ...2) Bulgaria to catch the snitch, ...3) Bulgaria to win, ...4) Ireland to catch the snitch, and finally 50 Galleons on a 10 point winning difference between the two teams." He tucked away six small pieces of betting contracts in his pouch for his Omnioculars, since it had already been spelled against theft. Then he left the betting tent. Most were safety bets, but he felt that he wanted support the twins because let's face it they were interesting to be around.

The three slowly made their way back to their tents. They browsed different booths and vendors, stopping at a drinking cart to pick up cool and magically preserved beverages for the three of them to drink at a more secure location.

"Hello Harry," a girl's voice called out to him.

"Oh, hello Luna," Harry said. "I thought you were off chasing Snigglets and Rumpets in India with your father."

"We did," the blue-eyed pale blond haired girl said. "Father had to come back in order to write about the World Cup Game, since his athletic reporter came down with Fairy Flu."

The twins winced at that. "That's a right bad one on for him…"

"Ugh, I hated that one," George replied to his twin with a shudder.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Harry said, as he wondered what Fairy Flu was. "Is your father nearby, I'd like to discuss something with him?"

The strange girl smiled and guided them to where her father had his tent set up. There were fairy flowers and fairies flitting about them. "Charmed to look like hummingbirds," she said. "Father…"

"Yes my girl," the strange old man stepped out. "Ah, you've brought your friends to meet me. You're such a good daughter. Hello boys, I'm Xenophilius Lovegood, but you can call me Xeno or Lovegood, whatever you like, eh?"

"Thank you sir," the twins replied. They were curious about the girl and they looked to their brother by choice for an explanation.

"I met Luna when she was a first year. Remember when the school was shunning me for being the Heir of Slytherin," Harry said with a slight shrug, showing his attitude about that time in his life. "I've helped her to find her shoes from time to time. Always whenever the Wipsas take them away, right Luna?" The girl nodded.

"Really," Fred said with a frown, not having heard of any of the creatures that had been mentioned. He looked to his twin in question and only received a shake of his head and shrug, basically indicating that George didn't know about them either.

"It's okay guys," Harry said. "They're a little hard to see if you don't have the sight for them and besides they're creatures from a different part of magic. How was your summer?" He turned that question to the girl who was pleased that they were taking her father and her seriously.

"It was wonderful, thank you for asking," she said. She looked to the twins and asked, "Can I have one of your trick wands?"

Fred blinked and the looked to Harry who shrugged and nodded that the girl was asking for something she knew existed. "Sure," he said. "We have three types on us now, which would you like to have?"

"Give her the pink parrot one," Harry said. They both looked at him and he explained, "You whispered kind of loudly before falling asleep last night. I overheard what some of your products were. I think they're all bloody brilliant."

"Thank you," Fred said, touched that someone actually believed in their ideas and their seriousness for opening a joke shop.

George pulled out a plain white looking wand and gave it to the girl. She smiled sweetly, waved it and the wand changed into a pink and purple parrot that squawked out, "Polly wanna a cracker."

"I love this, thank you," Luna said and the twins blushed and became flustered because of this wisp of a girl had complimented their works. It was rare that a girl approved of their pranks or tricks. "Harry, I talked with father about it. He's got the contract and luckily you've brought the witnesses."

"Of course," Harry said. He explained to the man which papers he currently subscribed to and the man agreed that they were all fairly good ones, other than the one from Peru, but he admitted that he got that one too for amusement's sake. "So, I just sign this contract and that means your magazine will be the only one to obtain exclusive interviews from me. The only other magazines permitted to interview me will be the ones that I've subscribe to as of this date, should they ever approach me, correct? Any future subscribed paper will not be permitted?"

"Yes, that's how it's been prepared," the man said, pulling out the official looking contract. He pointed out the sections and the conditions. "Now, you're prepared to let my daughter be the primary interviewer too?" The Boy-Who-Lived nodded. "Good, good," the man said and signed the document.

Harry signed, followed by the twins who agreed to be the witnesses. Luna was the last one to sign and she said to him before the left, "Don't worry I'll only ask to write one when it's important."

"Thank you, Luna," Harry said, as he walked away. "Enjoy the game."

Harry and the twins finally arrived at secluded area, near the woods, close their campsite where they had a quick, but privately warded discussion. Harry told the boys about Luna and how they met from time to time at the school in order to just talk about strange creatures, when the twins finally asked about his alias.

"Why that name," Fred asked. He sipped the glacial tea that the younger Gryffindor had bought him.

"It's a common enough name in the Muggle world," Harry explained with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "It's also quite common in other magical communities, so I figured if I had to disappear for some reason or other then it should be with a name that could never be logically linked to one Harry Potter, don't you think?"

"Considering the hostility that we've heard about, between you and that particular Professor," George said.

Fred continued, "Then that name is definitely a logical and a completely unexpected choice."

"Almost...quite Slytherin, I'd say," George returned. "Brother?"

"Yes, quite," Fred said with a calculating look in his eye. "What say you, Harry?"

"The hat wanted to put me in Slytherin," he confessed to them with a shrug, looking away for a bit before turning back to look at them. "It said that I didn't have a bad mind either, which I assume means that I'd have done well in Ravenclaw too, if I wanted to be placed there."

"Bloody hell," George said. "Does Ron know about that?"

"I don't recall ever telling him," Harry said. "Why?"

"Don't tell him about it," Fred advised. "Let him grow up a bit more, since this might be something that he'd blow his stack on, if ever you two have a fight."

"I understand," Harry said. "Shouldn't we be returning to the tents now?"

"Right-o," Fred said. "Let's escort the little man back, what say you Forge?"

"Gred, I agree that we must indeed return him to the red-headed fold, as there are many unsavory types to look out for," George said. They put their arms around Harry and nudged him along in a brotherly fashion until they'd returned to where their tents were located.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry had managed to hand the Omnioculars to his friends and Ginny without much fuss, after he said that they could be considered Christmas presents for the next ten years. That meant that the remaining coins in the pockets of his friends were spent on bits and bobs, game souvenirs and action figures.

Later that day they made their way up into the stands in order to get to their seats. He encountered the house-elf _Winky_ before being introduced to the Minister of Magic of Bulgaria.

(..._Minister, it is an honour to meet you_...) Harry said in the man's own language. He startled Minister Fudge and other prominent members of the UK Ministry of Magic by speaking in another language and to someone of import.

(..._You've a wonderful grasp of our language_...) The man observed. (..._I wonder why you weren't recruited by Durmstrang School for Magic_...)

(..._I did not know how to speak your language before this summer_...) Harry explained.

(..._You'd best pay attention to your company now_...) The man returned with a nod at the curious glances they were receiving. (..._They are looking curiously in your direction and the game is about to begin. You do not want to miss how our Viktor Krum plays. It's been a pleasure to meet you, young Mr. Potter_...)

(…_You as well sir_…) Harry bowed to the man, before he turned around in his seat and waited with his friends for the game to start. His friends were too stunned to ask questions about when he had learned the language and he only told them, "While on holiday", which was a reasonable explanation.

"Showing off again for the masses Potter," a snide voice said from behind them.

Harry turned and when he saw who was there, he allowed himself to show a frown, as a normal Gryffindor would do. "I don't have to do that," he said. "I consider it polite to reply in a person's native tongue, if I happen know their language."

"Didn't think you'd develop any social grace," Draco Malfoy said with sniff and tilted up head as though to look down on them. His parents were on either side of him. Lucius Malfoy looking like he wanted nothing more than to attack Mr. Weasley or kill the Potter boy, while the boy's mother looked like she stepped in something foul and it still smelled.

"It's never too late to learn," Harry said and turned his back on the boy, to show that he wasn't impressed by the boy's display of arrogance.

Draco was offended by that, but was held back from doing something petty by the presence of his parents and the others in the top box with them. Besides the game was about to start and he didn't want to miss the mascots' presentation or the actual game.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**

(...i...) Oblivion reference


	7. Chapter 7

**CH 7**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

The game was fast and furious. Harry and the others were pleased to have had the Omnioculars on hand to record this once in a lifetime opportunity. Everyone had been surprised by the outcome of the game, but no one more so than the twins who double-checked their betting sheet to find out just how much they were going to get from the payout.

"Blimey," Fred said. The winning amount flashed on their betting, contract sheet. The odds had dropped very slightly to three thousand one hundred and eight just before the start of the game, as other people took minor chances on that particular bet with one Galleons safety bets. However they still won an amount well over one hundred and fifteen thousand Galleons.

George looked at it too and said, "Bloody hell, put that away and secure it before we lose it."

Fred nodded and tucked it away into his Omniocular bag with some added security and anti-theft spells to keep the parchment safe.

Harry tagged it with a small hissed spell of his own the ensure that if the twins did happen to accidentally misplace or have it lifted from their possession, that he could instantly retrieve it by magical means. Being taught by the portrait of founder of Slytherin House was good for some things.

"How'd you do Harry," George asked.

"Well enough," Harry replied with a wink, not indicating just how much he'd bet. He knew he did well enough that he'd be able to purchase quite a bit of unrefined ore for processing in order to maintain the Skills he'd learnt this past summer. He'd been told about the owl order system and had picked up many forms from the different shops in Diagon Alley before meeting up with the Weasleys.

"A couple of Knuts won't make you rich Potter," Draco said, as he left them. Everyone was civil in their parting, but the blond brat couldn't leave them alone.

Harry only shook his head, and gave the blond Slytherin boy a pitying look, as he said, "Ignorance continues to follow you around, doesn't it?"

The Slytherin youth frowned, but ignored the comment in order to leave with his parents.

Mr. Weasley guided them back to their tents, where everyone stayed up late to replay the events and the game. "I still cannot believe that the Bulgarian team brought Veelas, as their team mascot," he said. "What were they thinking?"

"To distract the referee," Charlie said. "Rumours are that they'd done it during some of their other games too."

The conversation continued with snacks and hot chocolate until Ginny fell asleep at the table, spilling her drink. (...i...) After which Mr. Weasley sent everyone to bed for the rest of the night and to prepare to leave in the morning.

Later in the night, Harry woke up because his portraits were calling his name. He poked his head out of the tent door and looked around at the commotion and then ducked back into his tent. He got dressed really quickly, strapping on his dual swords, his bow and arrows and made sure that his wand was holstered to his forearm.

"Harry," Bill called to him. "Please come on out."

"What's going on," Harry asked, as he stepped out of his tent, pushing the warding runes to secure it.

"That's quite interesting protection you've got," Bill commented, as he indicated that Harry was to go with the other kids.

"Ah good," Mr. Weasley said. "I think all of you should go to the wooded area just over there."

"What are they doing," Harry asked, as he watched some masked and black robed humans who were levitating the muggle family that was in charge of the camping ground. "They're going to hurt them."

"Right now more are coming together to join them," Mr. Weasley said. "Please go to the woods and wait for us to catch up."

"Fine," Ron said with a pout, as his twin brothers took Ginny's hand to lead her away from the area.

They waited and talked together, when an unwelcome voice intruded. "Daddy had to hide you away," Draco said in a snide tone. "Afraid of the black robes are they?"

"What about you, you little squint," Harry said. "You're here too. Are your parents playing out there trying to seem like they're more than the bullies they are, pathetic much?"

"If they were, I wouldn't tell you," Draco said with a smile and gritted teeth. "You'd better keep your Mudblood friend under covers or they'll be after her too."

"She's a full witch, you idiot," Harry said.

"If you think that they can't tell the difference," Draco drawled. "Then you're a fool."

Harry shook his head and said, "Other than paternity spells or family charting spells, you can't tell the difference and you know it."

"Oh let's just get out of here," Hermione said. She managed to drag the other two boys away.

Another voice in the darkness called out from behind them, "_**MORSMORDRE**_!"

A shrieking sound came from the crowd and Harry noticed the image that appeared to be floating in the sky. It was a huge skull with a large snake coming from its mouth, looking like the skull's tongue.

"How trashy," he said and then used his wand, plus some spell mix of Illusion and Destruction to shred the image with a huge blue-white lightning bolt. The spell tore the Dark images in two with licking flames of blue fire and light. He then muttered, "Much better!"

Hermione and Ron turned to look at him, as he put away his wand. They didn't know that he'd used some other spell, but many of the panicking populace stopped to stare at the shredded image of the Dark Lord's emblem. He only shrugged and said, "We shouldn't be supporting the panic induced by the image. So we destroy the image and just watch, it lights up the place real nice too."

Indeed it did cause a few to stop and stare at the results of the spell that still flared a bit until its duration ability ran out. A couple of the black robed and masked individuals couldn't run and hide away because they hadn't moved from their fixed gazes.

There was a minor confrontation between Crouch and his house-elf Winky, whom he planned to fire by giving the poor thing clothes. The house-elf was found with a wizard's wand which went against the regulation of controlled magical beings. However, her master had no choice in the matter since this man was not kind to his servants.

It was this that fixed Hermione's impression about the creatures and that how she'd been introduced to them. But, once she learned about their working conditions, she became incensed by their treatment and the overall view of them by her magical society. Something formed in the back of her mind that night and stayed there until she learned more before beginning her campaign.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

They all returned to the Burrow in the wee hours of the following morning, after the eventful night. Mrs. Weasley was beside herself with worry and grief because of the harsh words that she'd said to the twins when she'd confiscated their joke merchandise that they'd planned to sell at the World Cup grounds.

"Oh, Harry dear," she said. "Your owl is waiting for you in Ron's room."

"Thanks," Harry said and dashed up the stairs as fast as he could in order to see her. "Hello girl," he said and pulled out a few treats for her to nibble on while he took the letter from her. "Take a nap girl," he petted her and then said, "You can fly to Hogwarts on the morrow, if you like. I'll make sure that your cage is taken care of."

"What's going on Harry," Hermione asked.

"Not much," Harry said and put the letter away to read later when everyone else was asleep or maybe when he had free time at Hogwarts.

"What is it," Ron asked. "Why won't you tell us?"

Harry smiled at their concern and said, "It's just a letter from my godfather, is all. I've been helping him with a private project, you know so he doesn't fall into boredom too much. Don't worry about it. We've been talking to each other through letters and I was hoping the Hedwig had arrived safely. You know without interception."

"Oh well then," Hermione said. "Why don't you read your letter now and you can tell us what he has to say? Maybe we can help with his project, what do you think?"

"The letter's private, but I'll let him know about your interest in helping with his project," Harry said with a frown. She got a stubborn look, crossed her arms and stared at him. "I don't read your personal correspondence, now do I?"

"You're hiding something," she said. "You need to share your burden with us."

"I don't," Harry said, as he crossed his arms. "Do you share all your burdens with us?"

"No, I've got my parents for that," she returned.

"...and _I've_ got my godfather, it doesn't matter if he's in the immediate vicinity, I'll still turn to him first," Harry said. He turned away to organize his school supplies into some semblance of order in his trunk. He pulled out several leather bags to sort his supplies, including an old fashion black doctor looking case for his potions ingredients and equipment. He didn't turn to look at her, knowing that she was waiting him out about the letter. "This conversation is over. You should go and pack your stuff for tomorrow."

"Hmph," she was pissed and left the room.

"Geez, Harry," Ron huffed. "Why didn't you let her just see what Sirius wrote?"

"It wasn't any of her business," Harry told him. "It's like I said, I don't read other peoples posts, why am I expected to let everyone read mine? It makes no bloody sense."

"You've got a point there, mate," Ron said. He called to his mother to complain about a dress with his school things and that's when his mother explained that they were the dress robes for him for school. "What, you've got to be kidding me? This is hideous, I'd rather go naked."

"Go ahead," Mrs. Weasley said. "Harry dear, when my son makes fool of himself running around the school naked, be sure to send me a picture."

Harry collapsed on the bunk, giggling at what the woman had just said.

"Ha, ha, prat," Ron said in a sour tone, as he covered his owl's cage with the awful looking maroon dress robes with old fashioned lace frills at the cuffs and collar. It looked like had once belonged to Lockhart's Great Grandfather or something of that nature.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

The next day Harry gave Mrs. Weasley a weak smile when she explained about her attempts to get a Ministry car to take them to the station. He didn't want special treatment and he knew that arriving in some kind of official car was just another way to be seen. He didn't want that at all and assured her that going the regular way was fine by him. He was grateful that the Ministry of Magic was too pre-occupied by the happenings during the Quidditch World Cup and more recently by, retired Auror, Alistair Moody and something about animated dustbins.

They managed to board the train in time and had found a car that allowed the three fourth year Gryffindors to remain together. Harry was secretly relieved that Ginny found some other place to sit because her moony-eyed stares were making him feel distinctly uncomfortable.

It wasn't all that long into the ride when they predictably heard Draco Malfoy speaking about how his father had considered sending him to the Bulgarian magical school, known as Durmstrang.

"He should have just gone then, the git," Ron said, as Hermione closed the car door.

"He wouldn't have been accepted," Harry said, absently, as he was reading ahead in his Defense Against the Darks Arts book. This one seemed much different from the previous books he'd been forced to buy for the class. He just couldn't read another book about Quidditch before school.

His mind still remembered the prophecies that he'd learnt and he knew that he wouldn't share that information with just anyone either. He told his godfather part of what he'd learned, but it was a question of whom the man would tell. However he was brought back to the present when Hermione asked, "What do you mean he wouldn't have been able to go there?"

"Hm," he looked up from his book.

She huffed and asked again, "Why do you think the blond git wouldn't have been able to go to Durmstrang?"

"Oh, it's just the impression that I got from the Bulgarian Minister of Magic, remember when we met him. He was curious as to why I hadn't been invited to Durmstrang, when I clearly knew how to speak their language. I told him I'd just learnt the language." He replied.

Technically he had, since he was still sleep learning the languages that he wanted to learn. It was a simple matter of storing that information in the same place where his Parseltongue ability resided in his mind. Although, with the sentient languages, it was easier to maintain a mental switch so that he'd be able to know which one he was hearing and speaking, quite unlike his issues with the snake language.

Harry looked at their questioning expressions and the he explained further, "When I spoke to the Bulgarian Minister, Malfoy younger and others in the box had a confused looks on their faces like they wanted to follow the conversation, but couldn't. From what we know of his family, they have links and associations with France, so I wouldn't be surprised if he understood French, which would probably have made him an acceptable candidate for Beauxbatons Magical Academy instead of the German one."

Ron snorted and then he chuckled, "My brothers said that most guys going to that school come out as nothing, but Nancy-boys and only because the girls going there outnumber them."

"Ron that's just a rude, sexist remark," Hermione said. "You don't know that as being the truth of the matter."

"I know that," Ron said, as he crossed his arms and glared. He continued his thought by saying, "But what if the reason little Malfoy didn't go there was because his preciously political father didn't want anything like that happening with his son and only heir."

"Too late for that," Harry remarked. "Malfoy's prissy about his looks." His friend chuckled, while the girl frowned.

"That's still a sexist thing to say," Hermione grumped. She glared at the two giggling boys in the train car. '_I wish that they'd just grow up,_' she thought. '_It's wrong to believe that any school let alone a magical one like Beauxbatons would teach the emasculation of boys._'

However it was at this moment that Draco Mafloy chose to make his appearance in their car. "Look Hermione," Harry said. "Case in point, too much gunk in his hair and his clothing is draped about him without a fold out of place. Tell me he wouldn't have fit?"

Hermione looked the blond over, much to the youth's offense and she slowly nodded, "I guess you're right."

"Right about what," Malfoy sneered. "Right that Slytherin's are the best in the school or that Weasley's parentage should never be shown off in public?"

"Actually," Hermione said and then looked him over. The blond was offended that someone of impure blood was giving him the once over and finding something offensive about his presence. "They were right that if you'd gone to Beauxbatons Academy you'd probably have turned out to be more effeminate than you already are."

"I am not effeminate, you take that back," Malfoy's tone more offended and shrill, than they'd ever heard coming from him before.

"I can't," she replied. She pointedly looked at the two larger youths behind him and said. "You're walking around with body guards. We can only interpret that as them having being hired by your father to protect your virtue."

Ron howled with laughter, as a strong wind pushed the blond out of the compartment, closed the door and locked it from further intrusion. Harry laughed even more when he stood up and closed the blind on the door to shut out the blond Slytherin's outraged expression and obvious attempts at being threatening without succeeding against the locked compartment.

"Brilliant," Harry said. He sat down with a huge grin on his face, while the girl sheepishly smiled back at the boys.

"Bloody brilliant," Ron nodded in agreement. "Chess Harry?"

"I'm still not that good at it," he said with a frown. "How about a muggle card game?"

"I don't know any," Ron said.

"I picked this up in London," Harry said. "It's called Jok-R-Rummy (...ii...). It looks fun and I'm hoping to find some charms and spells to alter the face cards."

"Let me see the rules," Ron said. He read them and then looked at the cards and re-read the rules. "A couple of open handed dummy games?"

"Sure," Harry agreed. "Hermione?"

"Oh, all right," she said, after she'd read the rules. It looked simple enough, since she already knew how to play Gin Rummy, having learnt to play from her parents. "I'll play for a bit."

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**

(...i...) True scenes from "Goblet of Fire" may be interspersed with new or altered content. This is an AU/AR story remember, any others will not be mentioned.

(...ii...) Real game that had not been production long, it has two player decks and one deck that contains the conditions in which a player can put out their cards, following the basic rummy rules. For more information on this game, you'll just have to google it or else dig one out of your attic, if you'd been lucky enough to buy one when they were produced.


	8. Chapter 8

**CH 8**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

"Blimey, Harry," Fred said, as he turned to the fourth year Gryffindor, as they were waiting for the meal to be served in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. His question about the Headmaster joking about the tournament had been answered candidly. "You were right about the Tournament taking place this year."

"I have those papers and magazines that I mentioned, if you want to look through them," the Boy-Who-Lived replied.

"No," George said. "We believed you. It's just that we thought it might have been for some other schools."

Harry only shrugged and then tucked in to eat the feast that was presented before the school for the first meal at Hogwarts.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Days later, Harry finally read the letter from Sirius. He'd prepared an article to send off with his reply that his godfather was going to be glad to add to his project paper.

He had erected his pup tent in an abandoned closet space that he'd found in Gryffindor Tower. He'd purposefully used the Marauders' Map to find a place where he could continue his Canyon School studies in private, all while doing his regular stuff for Hogwarts somewhere else.

The Canyon School had set up a correspondence program for him to follow. He was able to use Gringotts Bank as a waypoint to transfer his packages internationally between it and the Stoneguard Bank, for a modest fee of two Galleons per package. This was as long as he had the proper labeling forms attached. Stoneguard would then forward his packages to the Canyon School and vice versa. Of course he had picked up all the labels he'd need, at the same time as picking up owl order forms from the Diagon Alley shops.

It had taken him a bit of time to find the right spot in Gryffindor Tower and the closet he'd finally chosen was one that had obviously not seen much use, judging by the amount of dust in the space and the expired cleaning materials. He'd carved several warding runes in the door's frame and at key locations inside the closet, after he'd banished the majority of the items from the room. His house-tent just fit in there and it was in there that he sat down to read the letter from his godfather.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

_Harry,_

_First I must say no thanks on the cloak. It's very thoughtful of you, but you need it to sneak around the school and play a few good pranks. Do this for me, so that I'm not worried about you losing the majority of your childhood to the Darkness on the horizon? Please?_

_I had a friend that acted like that some of the time. Maybe you know of her, her name was Lily Evans. Great girl, but sometimes quite bossy too! Still miss her and she was more for scolding than dictating what we do and she was never too proud to say, '_I don't know,' _something that made her more accepted among the other students too._

_Now, if your scar is hurts again, speak to Dumbledore. I'm afraid that he's the only one right now that seems to have all the cards, (psst…just so you know I hate it when he does that, too). However for now, it's best that he gets a handle on what might be happening and he's the closest adult that can do something about it, even if it's to ease the pressure or your worry._

_I do have to ask about these transcripts you sent me. How were you able to remember everything from a dream? Did your tutors teach you about meditation and clearing your mind? Never mind that question, if they are and they are magically reliable and I mean that you trust them completely, see if they can't teach the beginning stages of Occlumency and Legilimency. I believe you'll need those skills to stop more of these dreams from appearing. The least of which, is that you'd get better sleep because of it. _

_Occlumency is a difficult magical art that will help to protect your mind from being invaded by outside forces, the other one is the opposite, where you'd invade the mind of another. Occlumency will also help to conceal your emotions. _

_Although, I took it down a Gryffindor path, some might say, when I chose to show only glee or laughter or a joking attitude, but even then no one would guess that I had any other emotions. However you choose to conceal or perhaps expose your emotions, I won't be disappointed in you._

_I have to do some digging around first before I can answer of the questions that you're dream had brought up. There seems to be a series of strange rumours that reached me, so I'm going to have to travel north to figure out what's going on. Don't worry, I promise to be careful. Send me any information about the tournament and I'll see that it's printed in the right papers, if you know what I mean. (wink...wink...)_

_Give my best to your friends. Oh, and find a way to conceal Hedwig when you're corresponding with me. She's far too noticeable as your owl or else change owls._

_Sirius_

(…i…)

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Harry shook his head at the thought that the man was willingly coming back to the area. He couldn't tell him to stay away, though. His need for a parental figure that actually cared about him had surfaced. He didn't like that he had no one to turn to, no one to really trust in the area.

He barely had the chance to know the man and he'd been taken away by Pettigrew's escape. Snape wouldn't have listened to what Remus or Sirius had to say in the matter, which was why the dark man had been knocked out at the time.

"If only...," he muttered with a heartfelt sigh.

"Never dwell on, '_if onlys_' young man," Helga said in a soft tone. "It doesn't do any good."

"I know," he replied. He gulped his wishes down and then turned to his desk in the room. "My schedule is a mess and my teachers are mad, I tell you, with the work they're assigning at this time of year. Plus my godfather wants to know if my tutors," he looked pointedly at the portraits. "…Can teach me about something called Occlumency and Legilimency? Can you?"

"It's natural for the teachers to give much in the beginning of the year," Rowena said. "They just want to make sure that most of the revision is done because we Professors know that the majority of students choose not to study during their summers away from school."

"You're quite right about that," Tiber said. "I certainly played during the sunny days at the very least. There are books in the library here that will explain the Occlumency and Legilimency basics and advanced techniques."

"You still do play," Helga said to Tiber. "You're such a child sometimes. Start with the basic books dear," she advised Harry. "You'll find your meditation has already helped you to create your base personal mental shields. The basic book will explain in more detail how to reinforce them or to modify them to add spells to deter someone from looking into your mind."

"Hard to believe that I was the _elder_ among you," Tiber quipped back.

Harry just chuckled, since he'd already heard that story. During his past summer, he'd asked Rowena for help to organize a study program to include his Hogwarts lessons, so that he didn't fall behind. The two women had suggested that he quit playing Quidditch, but the youth shook his head at that and had said that he loved flying too much to give it up at this point in his life.

Rowena pointed out how to make up different study schedules and how to vary the subject difficulties making sure to finish with the easiest subject. "Take the subject you dislike the most and do that homework first," she suggested. "You're more likely to do the ones you like on time anyway, so if you place your hated subject first then it and all others will get done on time."

"No more failure in potions," Harry nodded at that suggestion. He pulled out his potions books and began with the assigned essay on the effects that a decayed herb will have on a potion that recommends a fresh variety. "Should I still show my incompetence in potions or make an effort to ignore the biased git?"

"It won't really matter," Helga said. "Since the Ministry exams can be taken anytime and without having formally attended a magical school on the subject."

"I wonder if I should just drop potions all together and then pass the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s with his help," Harry said with a grin. "It'd be like spitting in the man's eye, don't you think?"

"Better not make him hate you further," Tiber recommended. "You don't know what he's been through to become the way he is. Also, a Slytherin must always conceal some of his abilities and usually all of his emotions in order to embody calm."

"All right, I'll do my best to ignore his attitude," Harry said, as he prepared a rough draft of the essay that he was planning to write for Potions class. He muttered to himself, "What bloody calm, that man is a walking ball of fury and always against Gryffindors?"

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**End of October**

The schools were due to arrive for the Triwizard Tournament on October 30th. Each Professor made sure that the students were present and accounted for.

The arrival of Beauxbatons Academy on a carriage pulled by twelve huge winged horses was a sight that enthralled many of the girls, while the boys of Hogwarts were more impressed with the underwater sailing vessel. It was just cooler to think about.

The students were welcomed by the Houses they chose to sit with during their meals. Beauxbatons' students chose the Ravenclaw House because of their complementary blue colours, while Harry suspected that the Durmstrang students were not given any choice in the matter, since they all immediately sat at the Slytherin table for their meals.

The rules were explained and then the Goblet of Fire was presented. "An age ward will surround the cup," Professor Dumbledore told them. "Only those that are seventeen years of age or older may put their name in the cup in order to become their school's Champion. The cup's magic is only active within the next twenty-four hours. Anyone that puts their name into the cup accepts the magically binding contract to participate in the Tournament."

The question of consequences for those who were hoping to attempt bypassing the age ward, was waved away with a, "You'll see soon enough," and then everyone was bid a good night's sleep.

As they were getting ready for bed, Ron asked, "So how do you think someone younger would put their name in the cup?"

"Don't rightly know," Harry replied. "If the age potion would really work, then maybe they'd sneak into the Great Hall in the middle of the night to put their name in. At least that's how I'd do it, if I had a potion I could trust to use, but I wouldn't do it even if I had such a potion."

"Why ever not," Ron asked. "You have more right to enter the tournament than anyone else."

"What makes you say that," Harry turned around. "Don't tell me you still believe that hype that just because I'm the Boy-Who-Lived, I have same abilities as some seventeen year old, when I know, you know I don't."

"Sorry," Ron said with a flushed expression. "It's just not fair that we can't put our names in there."

"I wouldn't put my name in there, even if someone wanted to pay me to do it," Harry said. "My life is not going to be thrown away on something like that. Good night." He rolled over and shut the draft curtains around his bed.

"Night," Ron's muffled voice answered him.

The following night the entire school, plus their visitors watch as the cup changed in colour, brightening and flaring as it spit out a parchment piece with the names of the school champion, plus the name of their school.

"Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons," Headmaster Dumbledore called out. "Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts," he waited for the next name and the final slip was, "Viktor Krum, Durmstrang, please join your fellow Champions in the other room." All the students started whispering and speaking aloud about their champions, the Hufflepuffs being the loudest because the Hogwarts Champion came from their quiet House.

It was then that the cup flared one final time, spitting out a fourth slip of paper.

Harry felt it in his bones that he didn't want to know whose name was on that piece of paper.

Headmaster Dumbledore read it out loud in a surprised tone, "Harry Potter."

"That's a lie," Harry yelled, as he stood up, marched to the front and snatched the paper out of the old man's hands. It was there clear as day though:

_...Harry Potter, US Canyon..._

"Bloody hell," he whispered, as his face completed drained of colour. Points had been taken from Gryffindor, for his rude language by Snape, but he never noticed. '_I hope that it was just a guess and not a betrayal,_' he thought wildly. '_The twins can't tell anyone and neither can the dwarves, but someone hanging about the betting tent might have…maybe...did they...?_'

He was nudged in the direction of the room with that bit of paper still in hand. His mind raced, as to when his secret had been discovered or if it actually had been discovered.

"Go join the others, young Mr. Potter," said Professor Dumbledore. "We'll be right with you."

Harry sighed, looked to his friends at the Gryffindor table and noticed the fury in Ron's face. He noticed the wonder on most of the others and the look of betrayal on the Hufflepuff students, like he was taking away their chance to shine in the spotlight and have a House Champion all to themselves.

He entered the room to see all the other three Champions standing near the fire. "Are zzey looking for us," the blond girl, Fleur, asked. "Do we need to go back?"

"No," Harry replied. "They'll be coming in any minute."

"Harry what's up," Cedric said. He frowned as he watched the young Gryffindor hold up a slip of parchment burnt around the edges.

"I didn't," Harry told them, as he looked at each Champion. "I wouldn't... But this came out anyway."

The older Hufflepuff student walked over to look at it. "It's says Harry Potter, US Canyon," he read out loud. "Someone submitted your name under another school. I'd never heard of that school."

Harry played the ignorant student and didn't quite lie when he said, "I'd never heard of any other magical schools until this year." He took the paper, back and pocketed the parchment slip. Then he looked at the other two Champions in the room. "You need to know that I would have never put my name in there. I'm not seventeen."

"A likely story," Professor Snape said, as he entered the room. "Always seeking attention just like..."

Professor Dumbledore stopped his rant with a raised hand and Harry only sighed again. "Be that as it may, young Harry is now the fourth Champion in the Triwizard Tournament. His name was entered in the cup, but now the question would be why."

"I vill not stand for this," the Headmaster for Durmstrang said. "Ve should be allowed to submit a second Champion."

"You cannot, I'm afraid," Dumbledore said. "The cup is silent once more and will not re-activate for another four years."

"This is a travesty to the International Magical Cooperation," Barty Crouch, the Head of that Ministry Department said. He turned to Harry and accused him, by saying, "How dare you do this to shame our Ministry?"

Harry frowned, but refrained from speaking. He hoped that someone would eventually figure out that he didn't put his name in the cup and that he couldn't have put his name in there. However his mind recalled the last prophesy he'd heard Morgana's image say. ..._The tournament gong heralds the coming Dark One..._

"Perhaps we're overlooking a few things," Dumbledore said.

"Yeah," Alistair Moody, this year's Defense Professor agreed. "Like who do we know would want to kill the boy in the first place?"

"What do you mean," Madam Maxime asked. "Zees boy put his name in ze cup, non?"

"It would take some very powerful witch or wizard to do so," Dumbledore stated. "It must be someone very powerful indeed and one strong enough to Confund the ancient, magical cup into thinking that there _four_ competing schools, instead of just the regulated three."

"Powerful enough to want Harry Potter dead," Moody said. That barely changed the anger in the faces of the visiting Headmaster and Headmistress. "He's got to compete now. They all have to because of the magical nature of the cup. In putting their names into it they are bound by a magical contract, until the bitter end."

Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department Magical Games and Sporting Events, then muttered, "I wish that we'd have looked for Bertha Jorkins. She might have known something about this."

"Isn't she dead sir," Harry asked out loud and everyone focussed on him when he said that. "Sorry, it was just a dream I had this summer. It felt so real, that I just thought…um...well...um..."

"She's just missing young Harry," Ludo said. "She'll turn up, you'll see, that woman always does."

Professor Dumbledore looked at the young embarrassed boy. He quickly dismissed the fancy notion that the boy may be a Seer and then turned his attention to everyone else, "There's nothing more to be said on the matter, I'm afraid. We now have four school Champions."

That night as the students were getting ready for bed, Harry and Ron had a loud row about Harry's name being in the cup and Ron not believing that Harry hadn't put it there.

The next day they weren't speaking to one another.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

TBC…

(…i…) Don't want to make the man too much of an idiot and since this is an AU/AR story. This letter is better than the one in the book and it flows well with this story and my plans for it.


	9. Chapter 9

**CH 9**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

"I'm telling you Hermione," Harry said. "His attitude is bloody ridiculous." He was talking about Ron Weasley and the fact that the boy still hadn't started to talk to him again. In fact that particular Weasley brother had taken to hanging around Seamus Finnigan and a few others of the fourth year boys from different Houses, except Slytherin, of course.

"Well, you know he's always been jealous of the attention you get," Hermione said. She then huffed when she noticed that Viktor Krum had entered the library. "Why's he always here?"

"Maybe he's trying to find a way to stay away from the crowds, like I do," Harry said. "Let's join him to find out," he suggested. "You know, to further international magical cooperation and all that..." He grinned at her cheekily.

"I guess there's nothing wrong with that," she said with a nod, as they picked up their books to go and sit in front of the foreign teenager, surprising him with their presence.

"Hey there," Harry said to the old boy. "I'm Harry and that's Hermione."

"Viktor," the Durmstrang student said. "Vy do you alvays come to the library," he asked Hermione.

"Because this is where you come to find the books you're looking for," she said.

"Maybe I help," Viktor asked, he'd hoped to get to know the interesting girl better. She was more interesting to look at than the standard buxom females that always approached him because of his fame. It was like the girl wasn't impressed with it.

"You know about the first task, yes," Harry whispered. He sent a chilling zap to the approaching girls that were about to interrupt their private conversation. The girls were immediately chilled and left the library quickly to seek someplace warmer.

Hermione looked at him with such an expression on her face that basically said, '_I know you had something to do with that, and I'm going to find out what you did_,' which Harry completely ignored.

"I do not vant to cause trouble," Viktor said. He looked embarrassed to know about the first task.

"No trouble, I figure we all know anyway," Harry hinted about the dragons he'd found out through Hagrid. "Just researching for a solution, since I don't have that many spells under my belt, like you older students do, that's all."

"Ah," Viktor replied with a nod. "Maybe I help vith that, yes?"

"Um," Harry hedged and asked, "How are you at summoning charms?"

"Okay," Viktor said. "Ve find a practice room, yes."

They agreed and found one that was empty of desks. Viktor did a scanning spell in the room to see if there was anything in it set up to spy on them and then he let them in. He explained his version of the spell while Hermione conjured up some objects and placed them around the room to practice summoning.

They spent the better part of the morning practicing before they had to return to their scheduled classes. "You do good," Viktor said. "Vatch the vand motions and make sure that your vords are spoken correctly."

"Thank you," Harry said, as he banished the objects. "I'm going to see Professor McGonagall and see if I can book a room somewhere to practice my spells."

"Good idea," Viktor said. "I see you at vand veighing tomorrow." He said and waved at them, as he left the room.

Harry nodded and Hermione followed as they made their way to their Charms class, where they were learning more about the summoning charm that they'd just practiced.

The wand weighing ceremony was not something that Harry had ever been told about, but he was ready for it. He polished the wood of his wand to make it look like new. He didn't know when it would take place that following day, but he had his hopes that it would be during Potions class, as Professor Snape was becoming more intolerable towards him. The man had implied that he'd poison his students in order to test their antidote potions and the research that they were to have done on the subject.

"Excuse me Professor," the courier student said. "We need Harry Potter and he's to bring everything with him."

"Whatever you miss, Potter, you'll just have to study on your own for the test in a week's time," Professor Snape growled out. "Or try to find a competent tutor to show how to properly do it, now get out of my sight."

Harry packed his school bag quickly, but carefully and followed the student to the area where the other Champions were waiting. The other student left him there and so he moved forward to join the others before the man who was there to weigh their wands.

There was a woman there that had his internal alarms bells warning him of a dangerous person, and he wasn't wrong. The woman was the infamous Rita Skeeter, a reporter, who tried to get him alone for a private interview, which he adamantly refused on the grounds that he was contractually unable to be interviewed by anyone working for the Daily Prophet.

Rita didn't believe him and made several attempts to get statements from him, but kept getting zapped with shock and chill spells in several places. Her hand was burning cold when she tried to get a hold of his arms to drag him away from the others or her nose tingled with a static zap that affected all her sinuses, making her sneeze when she leaned in too close to him.

"Ah finally," Mr. Ollivander said. He was the expert called in to measure their compatibility of their wands to their magics. "Your wand, Mr. Potter," he did the same thing as he'd done with the others. He closed his eyes and let his magic guide him to see if the wand was compatible. The old man's eyes opened up so fast. Then he turned to look at Harry and said, "You're going to need a new wand before your next year of school. Come see me sometime in the summer and we'll discuss it."

The Professors had never heard of something like that happening to someone so young. It happened sometimes after a child has reached the age of majority, but not before. It was the only juicy tidbit that Rita Skeeter had been able to obtain about the Boy-Who-Lived, which would only make about a two-paragraph article of no consequence.

"I understand sir," Harry replied politely with a slight bow to acknowledge the man's expertise in the matter.

Days later the woman was understandably upset when a full interview appeared in the magazine called the Quibbler with full photographs of _all_ of the Champions and their backgrounds. The article was further found in the Underground Courier, which included tidbit commentaries about the failed attempts by the Prophet to produce an unbiased article about all of the Champions.

The Prophet had only written a puff-piece on the Boy-Who-Lived making it sound like he was the only participant in the whole tournament.

Rita's editor was furious with her for failing to obtain the interview in the first place and didn't believe that the Boy-Who-Lived was contractually unable to allow interviews, since the boy obviously was interviewed by, what they believed to be an inferior piece of Wizarding news. All single images of the boy that his photographer had taken had been botched and every image taken with him and the other Champions, never once showed the boy's face.

The Quibbler and the Underground Courier had no such problems and the editor of the Daily Prophet, no happy about it, docked Rita's pay because of it.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

The day of the first tournament task approached quickly and Harry was glad.

The students had been shunning him again in school. Only this time they were doing it with advertising buttons. Nearly everyone had one that said, '_Support CEDRIC DIGGORY!_' While many of the Slytherins wore those same buttons, theirs had been additionally charmed to say, '_POTTER STINKS_', whenever he approached them or had the same classes as them.

The four Champions were in a tent listening to Ludo Bagman drone on about the Dragons and how they were creatures that repelled magic and that they sometimes nullified it. He also mentioned that some could sense the intent of a person, but that the four breeds that they currently had here, were not of those types.

The Champions faced them in the order that they pulled the figurine out of the neutral bag. Harry being the youngest, shortest, and last chosen by the cup was the last to pick his dragon. Of course, he pulled the hardest dragon out of the bag with the number four on belly to indicate that he would be the fourth to face his task.

He had a backpack with him, since there was nothing written in the Triwizard regulations against bringing extra supplies. The Professors wanted to prevent him from bringing it or using the contents, but he pulled out a copy of those regulations which stated that any student may bring what they feel is necessary to any task.

The other Champions were confused because they had been told that they could only bring their wands. "That's not really fair," Cedric said. "You could have told us too."

Harry snorted and said, "Yeah right. I approach any of you and your '_fans_' would interfere. Besides you guys are older than I am, you should have known to look into the regulations yourselves. I'd have done it for any contest just in case there was some kind of fine print or hidden clause that I didn't know about."

It was about the only good thing he'd ever learned from the Dursleys, _'Always read the fine print so you don't get cheated_,' Vernon had said to his son, but Harry had heard him anyway. He then told them, "Now you all know and will be better prepared for the next task."

Cedric shook his head and walked out, as he'd pulled the figurine with the number one on its chest, a Swedish Short-Snout.

Twenty minutes later Fleur was called out to do a similar task, since she was second and had to fight a Welsh Green.

Viktor finished in due course with his Chinese Fireball, when he'd been called to do the task.

Now it was Harry's turn. "Get the golden egg," he mumbled to himself, as he looked around the stadium. "From a bloody nesting mother dragon, too, what were they thinking?"

He put his pack on the ground and then he took out his Firebolt, two canvas cloth bags and a large flask that looked to contain a lot of thick blue-green liquid. He put the large flask in one bag and then he expanded the other bag. He tied the bag with the flask to the front of his broom and then flew up to dizzying heights.

His nervousness disappeared in flight and he flew circles around the dragon. The mother dragon refused to lift her forelegs off the ground. '_That's all right,'_ he thought. '_Stay where you are._'

He flew into a position just above her head, shattered the potion container with a small '_Bombarda_' spell and directed the liquid to fall onto her head like a normal rain shower. He avoided the spiked tail, as though it was a bludger ball to dodge.

(...Into the eyes and nose...) he hissed in Parseltongue. Not that anyone could hear what he was saying over Bagman's loud announcements. Once the liquid was dispersed, he hissed (...Torudensus, Twenty-four hour, Soporsomnus...) He'd found that using Latin words in conjunction with the snake-language intensified the spell's intensions. In this case it amplified the sleeping potion, added a heavy-muscle feature, time of spell duration and additional sleepiness to the effects.

The crowd wondered what was happening as they watched the boy hover over the dragon. It was becoming drowsy and looked to have weakened muscles or that it was having a difficult time supporting its own weight. They couldn't decide which it was.

The dragon though, a huge Hungarian Horntail, aptly named by the way, let out a few roars that were getting softer, with one final fire bursting yawn and the dragon finally closed its eyes. She curled around the nest with her young and fell into a deep undisturbed sleep. Not even the loud announcements or the crowds loud muttering woke her up.

It was no surprise when Harry swooped down, levitated and summoned the golden egg from the dragon's nest and into the second sack he carried. He flew out of the dragon's range and was back in the tent with the other Champions. He winced when he saw that they all had varying degrees of bandages and burnt clothing. He was the only one to have returned from his task, without even a singed twig on his broom.

"Vhat did you use," Viktor asked curiously.

"Sleeping potion," Harry said and pointed to the wet cloth bag on the end of his broom. "I just made sure that there was some in her eyes and nose. Used a spell to amplify its properties and that as many say, is that. Then I summoned the egg into another sack."

"Mr. Potter," Professor Snape said with avid curiosity and incredulity that the boy had used a potion to help him in his task. "I'll take that bag from you."

"I'm sorry, but this is the bag with the egg," Harry said and clutched the egg shaped bag to his chest. "You can't have it."

"Don't be stupid, boy," Snape snarled. "The one with the potion remnants, the dragon keepers want know which one you used."

"Oh," Harry replied weakly and then handed the wet bag over to the man. It wasn't a potion found in any of the books available in the school's library and he knew he'd be questioned about the origins of it, but then again he knew that the man would probably think he'd just bought it from somewhere.

The man put it into an enlarged jar and put a stopper on it. He'd need time to study it, so he pocketed it and left the rest them to be bandaged by the medical personnel.

They were ushered out of the tent and waited for judgement. Harry wasn't surprised by what he'd received by from the Bulgarian Headmaster, Karkaroff, as that man had glared and stared at him ever since they'd been introduced in October. He just ignored the man like he ignored many of the students' expression or opinions about him and his participation in the event.

Ron and Hermione visited him. All seemed forgiven, but Harry wouldn't forget. This was the final time that Ron would ever pull the jealousy card on him. He had more important things to worry about than maintain a weak friendship based on the fact that he'd been desperate for any friend when he'd been a poor lost first year student in the Magical World.

The Champions all stepped out of the tent and were all scored on performance, preparation and damage done or taken. The results ended with Harry and Krum tied for first place. Ludo then announced that the golden eggs contained a hint about their second task and that it would only take place in February. "Now I wish all of you good luck."

Rita Skeeter, the reporter who'd tried to corner Harry the first time, thought she'd be able to do it this time around. She failed miserably when her awful alligator skin bag caught on fire. She frowned at the back of the Boy-Who-Lived, who was walking away from her. He had told her once again that he was contractually unable to give her, her much wanted exclusive interview.

"Just you wait you little brat," she said to herself. "I will have that exclusive scoop."

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry continued his studies for Hogwarts and for the Canyon School. He was happier in his Ancient Runes class and that he only had to put up with Hermione's gentle pestering about making sure that he memorized as much as he could in order to keep on top of things.

His grades were primarily Exceeds Expectations for many of the Runes essays. His tests in many of his other classes came back with a variety of marks from Acceptable to Outstanding. Many of his Acceptable marks were for Potions, but he wasn't too surprised about it. Professor Snape still didn't like him anymore than any other day and the man did his best to get rid of him. Unfortunately, it was mandatory class and attendance was necessary until the Ministry O.W.L.s were taken.

Harry chose to continue studying on his own most of the time because he did so well in his other tests. He was doing well enough in his Hogwarts studies and he mainly used his Canyon School studies to help him relax. He had finally conjured a _Bound Dagger_ enough times to enable him to grasp the concept of conjuring creatures.

He conjured his first basic animated skeleton, which he promptly destroyed with four flare balls of flame. He hadn't used any active destruction magic in a while and had feared that he'd forget how to cast those particular spells. He was pleased when that wasn't the case.

He was equally eager to begin enchanting things and was pleased that the need for something called _Soul Gems_ could be acquired in the Wizarding World from the magical banks. He was also happy to discover that he didn't have to destroy an enchanted item all the time, if he didn't want to, because the Arcane Enchanter that he owned was a midway-model that was open to new and old methods of enchanting. This meant that if he had a filled Soul Gem, an item and knew a spell he could then enchant the item for a particular effect or destructive ability or he could destroy an enchanted item to gain the enchanting ability, which did not translate into knowing a particular spell though. (…i…)

It also seemed that the more he practiced the spells from the various schools of magic, the more he increased his magical access for the performance of certain spells. Unfortunately all spells from those particular branches and schools of magic had to be purchased by him. The only place that he knew where to get those were directly from the Banks and then only in person.

Luckily, Hogsmeade had a banking branch in town that he visited several time to review the list of available spells. The list changed once in while and it never hurt him to look at the list whenever he was in town, since the spells available were of varying levels he had to be cautious in his purchases sometimes. If he could buy one spell, every time he visited the place, he'd be happy.

Some spells he bought where with the view of creating new spells for his own use after he gained his levels. Although, before he could do that, he'd have to build his own personal spell creating Alter (…ii…), which a project that was going to part of his next summer's course with the US School. This was another reason why he was busy making sure that he had most of his Smithing and Enchanting skills levelled appropriately.

He turned and looked at the Occlumency and Legilimency books and wondered aloud. "Think I can make an amulet or something that will enhance my own abilities to Occlude until I learn to do it automatically on my own." He looked to his teaching portraits. "What do you think?"

"I think that if you can make such an item, that you should use it sparingly," Rowena said. "It will not help you to increase your ability, if you're going to rely on a crutch."

"I hear you," Harry said and settled down with his tapestry Professor to come up with a way that would help him to improve his mind occluding abilities and to figure out how to practice in the subject.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**

(...i...) Enchanting will encorporate the two game versions, Oblivion and Skyrim, since I don't believe that many of the JKR's magical objects in the world should be disenchanted, due to their rarity, ex: Invisibility Cloak…

(…ii…) Oblivion version is through the learning spells only. Skyrim version is destroying magical items to gain knowlegde in the enchantments, but does not mean that one learns the spells.


	10. Chapter 10

**CH 10**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

It wasn't long after a Transfiguration lesson that Harry learned about his responsibility regarding the upcoming Yule Ball and his position as Champion. He'd been told about this kind of tradition from his Portrait Professors and he told McGonagall, "I already know that Professor. I'm prepared to play the part."

"You must more than just play a part, Mr. Potter," she said with an indignant sniff.

"No Professor," Harry said. "I didn't put my name in the cup. I don't even want to be a part of this frippery and pompous tournament, but I will…" He quelled her outrage with a serious glare of his own. "I may be only fourteen, but I do understand my responsibilities in this situation. Will that be all?"

"Don't take that tone with me young man," she replied sternly. "I just wanted to be sure that you'll do nothing to embarrass our House. You do know how to dance, do you not?"

"Well, since my name was entered under a different school...," Harry started to say, and then he faded at the harsh look that woman was giving him. It wasn't time to push back, so he pretended to look embarrassed by his outburst and said, "Yes, ma'am, I do understand and yes I can dance."

"See that you do," she said. "You're dismissed."

Harry left the classroom without another word and then immediately knew how it'd be trying to find someone he could stand being around long enough to dance with. He headed to his next class. That's when noticed that many of the girls in his year were giving him big fluttering eyes, trying to gain his attention. He put his head down and silently groaned.

A few days later, his friend Ron was pointing out the girls and describing some of their physical flaws and bonuses. Harry shook his head and told him. "I've already decided who I'm going to ask, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to do it right now before it's too late."

He made his way to the third year Ancient Runes class that he knew was taking place. He waited for the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor class to come out and then he approached the girl. "A word please," he asked of the blond wispy haired girl. He led her away from her classmates and one specific redhead with dashed hopes that he had come for her. He said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Luna said.

"Will you be my partner for the Yule Ball," Harry asked.

"Of course," she smiled. She looked to the others that were milling about in curiosity. "I bought a special dress for that purpose. It's got fairy wings on the back."

"That's wonderful," Harry said and frowned looking down at her bare stocking feet. "They run away again?"

"Yes," she replied and sat down on the stone bench nearby.

"Instead of a flower or corsage can I bring you shoes," he asked, thinking about a pair of soft leather charmed shoes that he was certain she'd appreciate and he was hoping to make as the object of a test for his Tanning Lessons. "I will need them back after the Ball for a short while, but when they return they're yours until your feet grow."

"My dress is a pale lilac," she said. "I'd love the shoes in a light green colour. It will almost be like the muggle story of Cinderella."

"That with a little bit of the Greek myth about Perseus," Harry hinted at the type of shoes he would get her.

He knelt at her feet and the girls in the corridor twittered at the romantic look of it, as he took the measurements for each of her feet. He noted them down in the small notebook he carried for his ideas on charms, runes and whatever else struck him to use when he wanted to enchant or create things. Then he took out a black muggle ink marker and drew Runes for warmth on the bottoms of her stocking feet.

"I'll come for you at seven thirty so that if adjustments are required, we can do it then," Harry said. He picked up one of her little feet, kissed the top of it gently and winked at her with a side, glance to the audience they had.

Luna knew that he was playing for them and knew that he wasn't really interested in anything serious with any girl or boy at this point in time. She agreed to play along because it was frankly quite fun to twist the peoples' minds. She did it all the time with her flighty talk and this was just another way. She knew his game, flicked his ear and said, "You'll have to allow pictures of us to be taken. I want some for remembering and some for the Quibbler."

"As you wish," Harry said. "I'll see you then." He stood up after activating the warmth spell linked to the Runes he'd drawn and then walked away with a wave.

Luna looked to her warming feet, lifted them and pointed her toes in the direction of the others milling about. She smiled and said. "What a thoughtful boy!"

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Ever since Professor McGonagall had announced the Yule Ball, Ron became a more, shallow prat than before. His friend Hermione was offended by his attitude and the way he judged every girl he saw based on the way they looked. He kept pushing his ideals onto Harry until the Boy-Who-Lived had enough of it.

"I already have a date for the Yule Ball," Harry said loudly in the Gryffindor common room. "You don't ask someone out to an important Ball or anywhere else just because they look pretty, you shallow wanker! You ask them because you're interested in them and want to have a good time with them. So quit yapping about the girls and go ask someone to be your date, already. You know I have responsibilities because I'm one of the Champions, so don't expect us to be hanging out that night either." He stood up and left the room. He ran to his private closet, locked the door and then entered his tent.

Meanwhile in the common room the girls were looking at Ron like he was some grub on the bottom of someone's shoe. Ginny ran up to her room to cry because the boy she wanted to go with hadn't even thought about asking her to go with him and it was Loony Luna Lovegood that was getting that privilege. '_That girl will pay for it,_' she thought. '_I swear on a Gryffin's flight feathers, that she won't have a good time because that crazy bitch won't be going._'

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry took half a day to carve the general foot forms for Luna's feet. They were made for her size and a bit larger for enchanting measurement and to give her toes some wiggle room. It wouldn't do to make them too tight for her to wear.

He'd already had experience with making foot forms for his own feet and that of some of his fellow Canyon School students. It was something that they all had to learn before starting any process to make basic foot. He'd started making his own shoes using old cobbler methods and magic. His fellow students were of mixed descent so making small shoes was not a new thing for him. His instructors were kind of happy that a human was in the class because of their larger feet.

It was quite a simple method of doing it, since all it took was concentration and the proper tools. Of course part of their course work in Smithing was to make their own tools to create more items and the devices needed. Things like shoe nails, arrow heads, etc… They all had to be made before use.

There were other methods of magically making shoes using cobbler spells. But the needles used for sewing through several layers of leather still needed to be forged properly and made solid. He had made quite a few of those too.

He was at the drafting table planning the look for the girl's show, as he was hissing his displeasure with Ron's attitude about the whole thing. Of course his friend was not mature enough for a Ball of this nature. (…I don't think anyone in fourth year should be subjected to such a gaff…)

(…Why not…) Tiber hissed in replied from the tapestry portrait of a Smithing Room that had been created just for him. He'd been in that portrait some of the time to play around with the materials and devices in it.

Just like the Godric played in the Enchanter Portrait, while the women were in the Alchemy-Potions Lab one that Harry had finally managed to find. It was one that had a wall of books along one side of it. Rowena still would have preferred to have a separate Library Portrait, but Harry hadn't been able to find or get one made yet. He did have the line on an artist in the States and hoped that the person would take a commission to paint a magical library without any person in it.

(…Our society or I guess it would depend on where you live, 'cause some of the purebloods here have more of a handle on their responsibilities which include things like Balls, but not the muggle-born or those raised with less means…) Harry said. He drew a few lines and knew that the shoes would be made from the basilisk skin pieces that he had. (…It's just an impression that I have. The Yule Ball should be for those in their fifth year or higher…)

"Now boys talking in a language that others cannot understand, is just rude," Rowena said.

"Rowena, we didn't know that you were there," Tiber said. "What brings you here anyway?"

"We always visit with Harry when he's around," she said. "Besides he seems to have finished a set of delicate foot forms and I'm curious about them."

"I'm making dancing slippers for my date," Harry said. "She tends to lose her footwear and this is also going to be my project for the tanner lessons."

"She loses her shoes?" Helga said in a questioning tone.

"It's more like the other students in her House are hazing her," Harry said.

"Hazing," Godric said. "What's that?"

"They pick on her and are a little mean to her," Harry explained. "I met her when she was in her first year and I was the one being shunned by the entire school. She just said that her shoes walked away with the Wipsas, whatever those look like."

"Are you sure she said Wipsas," Rowena asked.

"Yes," Harry said. He looked up and asked. "Why?"

"She's a Seer then," Rowena said. "Or else she's a very young one, since what she's seeing are the magical spirits that exist in the world. Is she being trained?"

"I'm not sure," Harry said. "I think her father indulges her flights of fancy or that he might be more aware of her situation. No one at the school can really teach her that skill though. I know she didn't take Divination Class because she told me that the woman teaching it is cracked."

The portraits chuckled at that and Helga nodded, "She'd know, if she was a real Seer with spiritual connections or if there was something wrong with the Professor."

"Show us the slippers you're making for her then," Rowena asked, curious as to what the boy was planning to make. "Oh those are going to be lovely."

"I'm hoping to be able to charm or enchant them to always return to her feet whenever they start to feel cold," Harry said. "I know that she had Muggle shoes with fake wings on the sides of them, but I'm thinking these would be more appropriate for the ball."

They were like ballet slippers without the long ribbons to tie around her legs, but they had gossamer wings of magic to flutter on each side of the shoe. He spelled the shoes to appear in coloured magical light to show what they were supposed to do.

"That's wonderful," Rowena said. "We already know that you can make the shoes. It will just be a matter of ensuring that the spells will hold."

"I know," Harry said. "I'm running through the series of runes to carve on the leather before I begin to work them on the shoe forms. Any ideas on what I should consider?"

The portraits and Harry continued their discussion and ideas, until it was time for Harry to do his regular schoolwork. Since that night he'd work on them during most of his spare time. Just to be sure that they'd be ready in time for the Yule Ball.

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The day of the Yule Ball arrived and Harry was called to visit the Ravenclaw common rooms by the house-elf Dobby that he'd met in his second year of school. "Harry Potter, sir, something happened to little miss' dress," the little creature said. "Please come with Dobby."

"Of course," Harry said. He picked up the box with the finished shoes and hurried. He followed Dobby to the Ravenclaw common room and then used his Parseltongue language to use Slytherin's override system to the entrance of schools different Houses. "Where is she?" He asked, as walked into the Ravenclaw common room. "Where is Luna?"

"She in her room," Padma Patil told him. "Where do you think you're going?"

She watched in shock as Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, walked calmly up the stairs leading to the girls' dorm rooms. No boy had been able to get past the first landing, as the stairs always turned into a slide, to dump the boys down, not only that there were magical barriers and wards against any boy from entering the girls' room.

"Luna," Harry knocked on the door. "Is everyone decent in there?"

"I am," she said opening the door, wearing only her bright pink and yellow house-robe. She had silent tears running down her face. "I'm alone too." She opened the door to let him in.

He looked around and then noticed the pieces of material all around the room. He whistled and said, "Looks like they went wicked step-sister on you. Do you happen to have a fairy godmother in your pocket?"

Luna giggled and said, "No. Are those my shoes?"

"Yes," he said and gave her the box. "Try them on and stay on that side of the room." He pulled out his wand and then he used it with a bit of other magic to gather the pieces of the dress. It was a simple thing with long, light purple sleeves and a bodice to match, a traditional high waist and three tones of colour for the long skirt. He found the wings, which had been shredded with magic destroying their inherent charm and shook his head at the viciousness of girls who were jealous. (…i…) "Geez, they were mean, let's see if I can't be a fairy godfather in this case."

(…Original assembly…fuse together…stabilitas vestitoris…) He hissed. His magic and the words reassembled the dress back to its original pre-shredded form. The wings were made with very thin clear wire and a couple of gauzy layers of material. His first spell had fixed those too. He then hissed (…Ala Volitaire…) and the wings started to flutter like butterfly wings.

He waited for a moment, hoping that he'd said the right spells. It wasn't often that he had to use those spells nowadays, but during his past summer those were mostly what he'd used to repair his clothes until he could purchase some new ones.

"There you go," he said to her slightly surprised look. "The rumours were true about the Parseltongue," he said with a shrug. "I'll wait outside and guard the door while you get ready for our date."

Luna still had tears in her eyes, but this time they were from happiness. She may have been flighty around people, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't be upset to have missed the Yule Ball. The girls in her dorm never liked her because she beat them in their studies, but she had a very good idea of who was responsible for this mess. "Thank you," she said. "You are most gentlemanly."

Harry bowed to her and did exactly as he promised. He stood outside the third year girls' dorm room and glared at any third year that attempted to pass him. "Sorry," he pushed Martha Morningstar away from the door. "My date is getting ready in peace and I cannot let you disturb her."

"Your date," Martha asked. "Who is it?"

"Luna," he told her.

"I have my own date to get ready for," she said with a sigh. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"I was with Hermione Granger in Gryffindor for most of the afternoon," she said. "I owed her for the help she gave me last year. I did her hair, wait until you see it."

"Do you know about Luna's dress," Harry asked.

"It's beautiful isn't it," Martha said with a bright smile. "I wish I was brave enough to wear something like that."

"Harry, she can come in," Luna said through the door. "She wasn't around for it and she's nice."

"All right," Harry said and stepped aside. "This is going to stop. The hazing has gone on long enough." He looked pointedly at Martha. "It doesn't take much to be a Gryffindor. You just stand up for what is right," he then whispered. "Rowena would never have put up with this kind of thing and you must make your own stand sometime."

Martha nodded and the walked into the room. She turned to Luna and asked, "What happ…"

The door shut was once more and Harry was on guard against the other two girls that shared the dorm. "Sorry no," he told them. "Someone destroyed her dress in a fit of jealousy or allowed it to be done. Rowena would be very upset to hear about this."

"How would you know," Blyss Heathergrove asked. "There are no portraits of Rowena Ravenclaw."

Dorcas Cumbertooth then said, "Yeah, why would she care?"

"She'd care because I for one will tell her, you can bet that she'd want to have a few words with all the Ravenclaws about this," Harry said. "How do you know that there are no portraits? Maybe she didn't want to meet with petty little girls who have nothing better to do than to torture a classmate because she gets better marks than you. Just because she sees things that you just don't understand about..."

"Harry," Luna said, stepping out of the dorm room. "That's enough, but thank you."

"You're my date for tonight and my friend for always and under those conditions I'm duty bound to defend you," he said to her and then stopped to stare at the Fae image she portrayed. "My ethereal lady, please allow me to escort you this fine evening?"

"My gallant sir," she smiled softly. "But, of course."

Harry held out his arm and asked, "How are the shoes?"

"They are wonderful," she said, taking a hopping, step up and that had her drift down slowly. "I think I'm not going to like the day they no longer fit."

"I'm glad that they suit you," he said, as the whole of the Ravenclaw common room watched them leave. The girl in the wings, floated with every step. The students had been surprised that he'd been able to walk up the stairs to the girls' dorms. A few of the boys had tried after they'd left the common room and were immediately rejected.

"He's got to have power in him to defy the power of those steps," Terence Boot observed. His fellow Ravenclaws only nodded in agreement.

The rest of the evening went without much incident. Harry was the perfect date and kept his attentions on the girl. He did have to compliment Hermione on the way she was dressed when she arrived arm-in-arm with Viktor Krum.

Harry didn't falter when he danced with Luna, but that was because the slippers she wore was a cheat for him. They lifted her off the ground and allowed him to make steps wherever he wanted without harming her. "I have two left feet," he'd told her honestly. "I'm glad you let me make the shoes."

"You made them," Luna asked in surprise. "I thought you'd bought them."

"They're a project for a correspondence course that I'm doing," Harry confessed. "That's why they need to be sent off after the Ball is done. They're going to be graded and then they'll be returned to me with the grade I earn."

"But that means you can make me another pair when I outgrow them," Luna said with a mock furious look on her face.

"It takes too much time to make the shoe forms," Harry said. "I'm not yet trained in using the magical versions. Plus it took me two weeks to get the spells right on your shoes."

"I see," she said and then told him with certainty. "But, you'll make me my weddings shoes."

"That's a promise," Harry said with nod. "I'll do nearly anything for my friends."

Luna smiled up at him as he twirled her, semi-expertly around in place on the dance floor. He smiled back at her with complete understanding and that's the photo that the Daily Prophet had on the cover of their morning edition with the caption, '_BOY-WHO-LIVED in LOVE?_'

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**

(...i...) Think of the dress in the movie "Ever After" during the ball scene where the girl was exposed to be a servant.


	11. Chapter 11

**CH 11**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

There are days that Harry knew he should never wake up to, but it was a week after the second task and now, the sleazy reporter of the Daily Prophet had put out some kind of story about him and Luna. The girl was unfazed by the whole deal and she at least got the pictures she'd wanted for her memories. She gave copies to him. He added them to the photo book that contained images of his parents.

The two of them spoke about the article. In the end Luna had requested statements from him about him impressions of the Yule Ball. She did the same with all the Champions and submitted her own article in her father's magazine, The Quibbler and she had permitted the Underground Courier to run her story with accompanying images of the Ball too.

The article she turned into that paper had image of all the Champions dancing with their partners, with various quotes from neutral students and Professors that were in attendance at the Ball. Her article was startlingly different from the Prophet's in that she wrote in the form of a story about a magical night. In no way did she infer romantic attachments between the Champions and their dance partners.

She was clear in her opinion that the chosen partners of the visiting schools were very generous with the time in making the foreign students feel Welcomed to their part of the world. She slyly applauded the Department of International Magical Cooperation for their excellent idea of resurrecting the Triwizard Tournament.

When Harry finally read that article, he laughed. He stood up from his place at the Gryffindor table, walked over to where Luna was sitting reading her copy of the Quibbler up-side down. "My fair lady," he said. "That was bloody genius."

"But of course," she quipped. "I'm in Ravenclaw House for a reason."

Harry bowed to her and said, "I never did give you a flower for the Ball, did I? How backward of me! Let me remedy that now." He pulled out his wand, swished and swirled it into a particular pattern and (...i...) hissed (...Orchidaceae Epidendrum fulgen puteulanus, gemma, similis scutulatus...)

Out of the magical light pattern appeared an orchid on a pale jade stem with a few long grass like leaves that looked like green crystal and the flower was a blue colour more purple than blue. The whole of it looked like crystal too. This was known as the False Diamond Orchid, a rare magical flower found in the Amazon basin.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Luna said with a gasp. "How long will it last?"

"How long do you want it to last," Harry said, holding onto it, waiting to see if he needed to add a condition of permanence to it.

"A hundred years and a day," she said. The students looked at her, as though she was crazy. Who'd want to keep something conjured for that long, although some of the students and Professor Snape wondered if the conjured flower could be used in potions ingredients?

"As you wish," Harry said. The students were all riveted in their seats to see what he'd do. He hissed again, causing many to shudder, some in revulsion and some with another emotion. (...Reservo, Una centum atque una diei...) (...ii...) "Here you go my friend," he told her. "It should last one hundred years and one day."

"Thank you," she took it from his hand with a smile. She conjured a clear vase and placed the flower in it.

Harry bowed and returned to his seat at the Gryffindor table.

"Harry, what's wrong with you," Hermione asked. "Why are you drawing attention to her, the newspapers and yourself so much?"

"It's not intentional." Harry said with a huff, as he filled his plate with breakfast. "One, it was a bloody better article than the Prophet had ever written. Not only that, but at least the Quibbler has honest fact-checkers in their employ and they permitted a copy print to the Underground Courier, who stated that the article was to be applauded. I guess I was just following the suggestion. I wasn't doing anything on purpose..." He paused at his friend's pointed glare. "All right maybe that last bit with the flower, was on purpose, but so what." He shrugged. "It made her happy and she is one of my friends."

"But we're your best friends, mate," Ron said.

"Doesn't mean that you're my only friends, you git," he replied, not unkindly. "I can hang out with other people too, you know!"

"Yeah, yeah, likewise I'm sure," Ron said and returned to eating with his mouth full.

"Nice bit of conjuring, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said. "Do you mind telling me what spell you used?" She had been followed by Professor Snape, who'd been curious about it too.

Harry swallowed what food he had in his mouth, wiped his lips and then said, "It wasn't really a spell per se...It was more of directed magic using another language to enforce the intent of the creation of the object in question."

Hermione's jaw dropped when he said that. She thought he'd stutter and mutter some nonsense, but what he said made it seem like a magical concept that existed. Not only that, but it sounded like an intelligent concept too. She looked to her Professors expressions and she knew that he'd done something that even the adults had never heard.

"Can someone learn that spell," Professor Snape asked, convinced that it was a spell and not whatever other nonsense that the boy spouted in order to sound intelligent, when he knew the boy wasn't.

"I don't think so," Harry said. "Like I was saying, it's not a spell. I spoke in Parseltongue, so I doubt that just anyone can do it."

Professor Snape was getting frustrated. "Does it contain the same properties as a real False Diamond Orchid?"

"I don't know," Harry said.

"Harry," Professor McGonagall said. "Perhaps you should come to my office, so that we can discuss this further?"

"Now," he asked and looked at his plate of food that he'd just started eating.

"Of course not," she said. "You have fifteen minutes left and your next period is free. I'll see you then."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry said tucking into the remainder of his breakfast. His friends watched the two Professors leave the Great Hall.

"Wonder why they want to know about some ruddy flower," Ron asked. "What's so special about it? Anybody can conjure flowers." He said and the proceeded to do just that, conjuring a bundle of white daisies. His didn't appear nearly as real as Harry's and the bundle disappeared quickly.

"Harry's looks different," Hermione said and looked to Luna walking out of the Great Hall with the single flower in her vase. "It still hasn't disappeared either."

"Well, I'm done now." Harry said, as he finished his meal, picked up his bag and stood up to leave them. "I'll find out soon enough what the Professors what from me."

"Maybe you shouldn't have spoken in Parseltongue," Hermione said.

"Yeah, why would you continue to use that Dark Language anyway," Ron asked with a shudder.

"Ron," Harry sighed in exasperation. "It's not a Dark Language," he stated. "It's just a creature language and it's the one that I know. Why shouldn't I use it?"

"Everyone will say that you'll join You-Know-Who if you keep using it," Ron said.

"Don't be stupid," Harry said. "Talking to snakes is the same as being able to talk to other sentient creatures, now if you'll excuse me." He took his things and left the Great Hall.

"Really Ron," Hermione said.

"Well Slytherins are snakes in human form," Ron said. "I don't want to see my _best_ friend turning into a snake."

Hermione huffed, packed up her things, said, "I have some research to do," and left him there to finish breakfast on his own.

Ron shrugged and continued to eat his fill, as though food was going out of style.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry joined his Head of House in her office. He sat at the chair in front of her desk, next to Professor Snape, who was apparently there for a reason and asked, "What's this about Professors?"

"Are you sure you didn't use a spell?" She asked.

"No spell," Harry said. "I just said Latin words in the Parseltongue language. I do that sometimes with different spells. I don't know what would happen if I used a real spell, since the results are never quite the same as using just the plain Latin language."

"What do you mean," McGonagall asked.

"Well," Harry paused and then explained. "Take the regular charm for light, '_Lumos_'. It lights up the tip of your wand right?" Professor McGonagall nodded. "Well if I was to say Lumos in Parseltongue, the result is different. It creates a bubble of light that floats, leaving the wand free for some other use."

"That's not possible Mr. Potter," Professor Snape said.

"How do you know...sir," Harry asked.

"Your arrogance..." Snape paused and looked at the boy's stubborn look. He could only read the truth from the boy's mind. "You're just making an assumption."

Harry sighed, bowed his head and shook it. He controlled his breathing and then looked to his Head of House. "Shall I demonstrate?"

"I think that would be a fair way to assess the situation," she said. "What do you think Severus?"

"By all means," the man said sarcastically. "Let's see this supposed proof."

Harry ignored the man, stood up and took a couple of steps away. "Lumos," he said in the regular language. He demonstrated the charm spell that he'd learnt in first year. "We agree that this is the way it's supposed to look?"

"Of course," Snape sneered at the boy.

"Yes, Harry," Professor McGonagall said. "Now the other..."

Harry nodded. He said, "Nox," to cancel the charm. He performed the same motions to activate the Lumos charm, but this time he hissed the word, (...Lumos...).

The two professors eyes widened in surprise as a bubble of light formed from the end of Harry's wand. He prodded it in their direction and watched as they poked it with their own wands. The bubble just moved from one to the other and it never broke or burst. It didn't dim or become brighter either.

"How interesting," Professor McGonagall said. "How long will it last?"

"I've never tested it," Harry said. "The longest I've ever used one was about four hours, when I was studying for our exams before the Yule Holidays."

"It never faded or dimmed in that time," Professor Snape asked, surprised that the obstinate Gryffindor had been telling them the truth.

"No, it didn't," Harry answered the man in an honest tone.

"Can it be dispelled with the counter charm spoken by someone else," he asked.

"I never tried it," Harry said with a shrug, as though it was unimportant to have tested it. "Go ahead, sir."

"Nox," Snape said. The bubble of light dimmed to half strength. "Nox," the man repeated and the bubble dimmed again by half. "Nox," he said for a third time and the bubble popped out of existence. "Interesting," he said. "What about the flower you gave to the Lovegood girl in the Great Hall?"

Harry frowned and asked, "What about it?"

"Does it carry the same properties as the real version or is it just a light show," Snape asked. His tone wasn't condescending in any way. To the Gryffindor, it sounded like the man was actually curious about it.

"I don't know," Harry replied, honestly. "I mean it's not something I've ever been curious to find out. Conjuring some things in another language can make them real and at other times the conjuration just won't work, from a Transfiguration perspective. At least that's what we've been taught, right, Professor," he turned to his Head of House when he asked that.

"That's correct," she said. "However I believe that Professor Snape is more interested in the Orchid from a potions perspective. If you conjured another one would it act like a real version of the plant if it was used in potions?"

"I don't know that," Harry said. "It's not like potions are the first thing I think about when conjuring a flower that I know would please someone. It's not like I know a whole lot about the properties that that particular flower should have in potions either."

"Then why did you conjure that one," Professor Snape growled out.

"Neville had a book on native Amazon flowers that I looked through one day," Harry explained. "I saw that one in the book and read about it. I thought that it was pretty and that Luna would like it, that's all."

Professor Snape huffed and muttered something about, "Imbecilic Gryffindors," which the two Gryffindors in the room chose to ignore. "All right then," he turned to Harry with an evil looking gleam in his eye. "You'll just have to research a potion that uses that particular Orchid for an ingredient. You must conjure another one and make the potion you've researched in my presence during a schedule of my choice." He rolled his eyes and stipulated, "Without interfering with your exalted presence in this farce of a tournament. This will be the requirement for _your_ final exam in potions for the year, which will count as sixty percent of your passing grade. Do you understand me?"

Harry paused and looked to his Head of House with a shake of his head. "Sixty percent of my passing grade, that's taking your hatred against my father a little too far don't you think?"

"Sixty-five percent and you'd better be in attendance to all Potions Classes for the rest of the year Mr. Potter," Snape said. "Minerva you're my witness to this."

The woman then realized that the Head of Slytherin House was too far into his hatred to understand what the man had just agreed to. It looked to her that her young Gryffindor knew just what the man had done as well. "If that is what you wish," she asked and received a stiff nod from the Potions Master. "Very well, I witness the condition that Harry Potter's passing grade for the final exam be based on his successful completion of the research and task that has been assigned to him by Professor Snape."

The man smirked evilly, as he left the room.

Harry looked to his Head of House and she looked back at him. Together they laughed. "Oh dear," she said. "He's going to be so upset when he realizes that all Champions are exempted from taking final exams and that you already passed with an Acceptable."

"It's an automatic pass for fourth year potions for me because of the exemption and the fact that it's worth more than my attendance marks for the class," Harry nodded in agreement. He sighed and then said. "I think I'll still do the research for it though. I'm curious to see if a conjured plant will work just as well as a real one in a potion. But what kind of potion requires that kind of plant? Do you have an idea of where I can begin to look up that information?"

"Start in the Herbology section of the library," Professor McGonagall said. "It's probably best to begin with the plant itself. You can go now."

"Yes ma'am," Harry said and left his Professor's office with a grin on his face. The Gryffindor felt that he should get points for this, but he knew that once the man had calmed down he'd realize that he'd just guaranteed Harry's presence for the fifth year of potions class.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Sometime in the middle of January, Harry was in his tent staring at the Golden Egg that he'd successfully '_stolen_' from a nesting Hungarian Horntail dragon.

"What's that," Godric asked, as his curiosity pushed at him to find out.

"It's a Golden Egg," Harry replied with grin.

"I can see that," Godric huffed. "What's it for or what's in it?"

"That was what I had to do in my first task," Harry explained. "I had to steal it from a nesting dragon."

"Really," the red-bearded man said. "I say that must have been exciting."

Harry thought about that and smiled wider. "It was kind of terrifying actually. I had found out about part of the task before hand and let me tell you I was pretty scared wondering what we'd have to do with dragons."

He then told the portraits about the worries he had and in his frustration to try and figure out the hints that everyone'd given him at the time. "...in the end, I suppose I could just have tried summoning it from the nest in the first place," he said. "But since we were told over and over again that some dragons, nullified magic, all the Champions didn't bother to try."

The Founders laughed at that. "So what's in it," Helga asked and watched as the boy winced. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"After the task was done and we were allowed to return to our dorms," Harry explained is reaction. "The students in the dorm had decided to throw a party in the common room. I opened the Egg then, and a lot of squeaking and screeching sounds came out of it. I know it's a language of some kind, but I've honestly never heard of such a thing before."

"Well, open it for us," Rowena said. "We'll able to tell you what it is since all of us know at least four human languages and three magical creature tongues or dialects."

"All right," Harry hesitated. He winced at the thought of opening it again, but the Founders were curious and so he said, "Here goes."

The Golden Egg was opened and the sound that came out of it was pretty much the same that it had been when Harry had previously opened it in the Gryffindor common room. It was loud, high-pitched and altogether very disturbing to him. He closed it up again and then waited for the ringing in his ears to subside.

"Well I can see how it would be difficult to understand or even find a place to begin," Rowena said kindly. "It's a Mermish dialect." She paused and then said to the confused boy. "I recommend that you go take a bath to find out what they're saying."

"A bath," Harry repeated, confused until his mind opened to the section where he stored information on underwater dwelling magical creatures. "Oh," he said with a smile, indicating that he was grateful for having learnt to sort his thoughts and the information he learned on a daily basis. "You're quite right. I should take one, if you'll excuse me." He took the Egg with him and headed into the bathing room in his personal tent.

He undressed and put a ring on his thumb that had a carving of a small non-descript fish on it. He'd made the ring recently because he'd bought an Alteration spell from Gringotts not too long ago. It was called the _Buoyancy Spell_. He had been surprised to learn that it was an apprentice level spell for the school of Alteration, but that he gained the knowledge of not one, but three different spells with it.

From that one spell, he learned another form of the Wizarding World's charm, '_feather-light_', although the Alteration spell name was just '_Feather_'. The spell also included the knowledge of _Feather_'s counter spell, which was '_Burden_', and final spell, which was the main reason he purchased it in the first place, was the '_Water-Breathing_' spell ability.

It was because of those spells that Harry created and enchanted ring, specifically made for underwater exploring. He'd sent it away to be graded and he'd just received it back a couple of days ago. The ring had the water-breathing feature, with an additional '_light_' spell that projected light for a fifteen foot radius and the '_feather_' spell for an added five stone carrying capacity, all of which is active as a '_constant effect_' whenever he was wearing the ring.

His professors at the Canyon School had given him a passing grade of S (Superior), plus a bonus grade of FL (Flawless) for coming up with something that could be marketed to the general public. They did mention that he should patent it first and gave him sixty days to get his act together on that matter, which he immediately set about doing with the help of the Gringotts representative in Hogsmeade.

Sixty days was what they always said to students that created something new, as on the sixty-first day, it was within the Canyon School's charter and regulations to patent interesting items under the school name, in order to add more funds to the school. Students were encouraged to donate one or two items created to help fund the school, if they were new and unique. That's why it was still one of the more prominent schools teaching many of the old ways.

However, at this point in time the ring was perfect to use in the tub in order to stay submerged for an extended period without fear of dying. It certainly worked long enough for him to get the message that had been recorded in the Golden Egg.

..._Come seek us where our voices sound,_

_We cannot sing above the ground,_

_And while you're searching, ponder this:_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we took,_

_But past an hour - the prospect's black_

_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back..._

He memorized it on the first try and then he listened to the message a second time to make sure that he'd heard it right. He popped his head up out of the water and whispered, "Bloody hell!"

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**

(...i...) Orchid, "particular looking one" type, blue, gem, like a diamond - used www dot latinwordtranslation dot com/ default dot asp (remove the spaces and change the dots to look up the dictionary) – note on the "particular looking one", if you google "fulgen puteulanus images", you'll see quite a large variety, pick your favourite.

(...ii...) Preserve, one hundred and one day - used www dot latinwordtranslation dot com/ default dot asp (remove the spaces and change the dots to look up the dictionary)


	12. Chapter 12

**CH 12**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

The day of the second task arrived. It was a cold day in February, but it looked like the Champions had taken Harry's advice after the first task. The looked slightly more prepared for second section of the tournament.

Harry had looked around for the past few days to make sure that all of his friends were okay. It was then that he realized that Luna had not been at the Ravenclaw table the previous night. When he spoke to Martha, one of Luna's dorm mates he found that she hadn't been seen since the day before. He knew then that he'd need to get to her before it was too late.

The Champions had lined up on the docks and were all in warm robes to keep the cold from affecting them. Under the robes they were all in swimsuits with the exception of Harry. He'd ordered and received a black wetsuit with red piping on the arms and legs in his size. He had his backpack with him and he pulled out a pair of muggle rubber flippers.

His excursion to the Canyon School had a good effect on him, since that's where he'd learned how to swim and dive. He put on the flippers and waddled up to the dock, which caused many students and some adults to snicker at him.

He ignored all of that, as he put on the large underwater mask that would securely protect his nose and eyes. He cast an impermeable and auto-clean feature to the lens of the mask and then waited. He tied a belt around his waist, which held a pair of short sword sheathes, just in case he needed a cutting weapon.

Any more than that would have been too much and many of the audience felt that he was trying too hard.

The other Champions looked at him in curiosity because let's face it he looked quite strange in that get-up. The firecracker exploded, announcing that they had to begin their next task. The three older students removed their cloaks and jumped into the lake.

Harry double checked that he had his wand tucked up his sleeve and then he place his ring on his thumb, shrinking it to ensure that it tightened and stayed in place for his underwater journey. He dove from the dock like someone that had experience diving into deep waters.

'_I'm glad for the light,_' he thought, as he followed the murky path that the older students had made from the lakebed. He made his way cautiously, not knowing what kind of creatures he'd encounter on his way. Sure enough he encountered several '_Grinylows_' among the weeds nearer to the lake's edge. He used his wand to fire sharp stunning spells at them.

There were about fifteen of them all gathered around a struggling body. He zapped them all and that's when he noticed that Fleur had been the one surrounded. He cast a serenity spell at her to calm her down and then motioned in a way to ask, '_Are you all right?_'

She shook her head no and headed back to the surface because she needed to re-think her strategy before going down again. Meanwhile Harry just shrugged his shoulders and continued down, following some of the bubbles that burbled up from below him. '_At least I'm past the Grindylows,_' he thought. '_This light must be making them uncomfortable. Maybe that's why I wasn't attacked by them?_'

He paddled his feet and soon got into the rythym of moving them like he'd done many times before. He saw Moaning Myrtle the Ravenclaw ghost in the lake and she pointed him in the direction of the mermaid village. He nodded to her and then headed in the direction that she'd indicated.

Harry arrived there and noticed that Cedric must have been the fastest one and the better, prepared student because he was using the _Bubble Head_ charm. He was paddling away with a senior Ravenclaw student Cho Chang in his arms. He shook his head and hadn't noticed her disappearance, but then she wasn't someone he looked for among the other students.

Tied to poles or statues in the middle of the Mermaid village was a blond girl that resembled Fleur, the Champion from Beauxbatons.

Hermione was there too and that's when he realized that he didn't notice that she'd been gone from the dorms or classes the previous day. He'd thought it was because of a female thing. Viktor was there and tried to get her untied from the pole, but he hadn't come to the village that prepared. He had partially transfigured his head to that of a shark.

The last person tied to a pole was Luna. She was the only one that he'd been aware of being missed, since she was the one he'd asked about. He took out one of his short swords and cut Luna away from the pole and then nudged Viktor that he could use it. Harry conjured ropes to tie her to him, as she didn't look like she could move.

Viktor gripped the sword and cut the Gryffindor girl away. He gave the sword back and signalled that he was going up to the surface.

Harry nodded and then used his wand to call up a time clock. He looked around and noticed that Fleur still hadn't come down. He waited until there was fifteen minutes left and the he moved to cut the ropes to the other girl.

The merfolk tried to prevent him, but he told them, "I'm not leaving without her too."

The merfolk were trying to get him to leave the girl behind, but he refused and even brandished both weapons in defence of his actions. The swimmers of the lake backed away and let him cut the other girl away from the pole she'd been tied to.

'_Bloody nuisance,_' he thought. '_I can't leave anyone behind and it doesn't look like Fleur is coming_.' He looped the rope around the other girl and kicked his feet hard to propel him to the surface. Just as they were about to break the surface, Luna woke up, but didn't panic. She took a huge gasp of air when they surfaced.

"Okay there, Luna," Harry said, as she wrapped her legs about his waist, giving him free room to kick his feet.

"Quite," she said. "I wasn't expecting this."

"Romantic lot, aren't they," Harry said, as he explained about those that had been selected, who had been tied in the merfolk village. The other girl came to and nearly screamed in fear. "Easy girl," he told her. "We're just helping you."

"J'ais peur, vous êtes qui?" She asked in French. She tried to push away in her panic, but ended up swallowing water and coughed it up.

Luna was the one that answered her, "Calme toi ma petite! Nous sommes des amies de ta sœur, tiens biens ici et on va la rejoindre sur la plage bien tôt, da cors? "

Harry lifted his diving mask up to his forehead and he put away his swords while treading water. He pulled out his wand and conjured an old, fashioned swimming flutter board. He cast an additional warming charm on the device so that the girls wouldn't get chilled from being out in the open.

"Oui," the young girl said. She held onto the flutter board, between the two older students. It held up the three of them and was one long board with three long handles that they could grip, as their upper torsos were braced on the on it. The paddled all the way back to the beach, where they saw Dumbledore having a conversation with the merperson that had threatened Harry.

"Gabrielle," Fleur cried, as she saw that her little sister was all right. She escaped the clutches of the medi-witch in order to wrap her arms and blanket around her little sister. "Merci, Harry," she said.

"Bienvenue," Harry replied, as he dried his wetsuit and hair with a mild warm wind spell of the Destruction School of Magic. Everyone thought he used a standard warming charm. He summoned his pack, putting away his flippers, water exploration ring, swords and swimming mask. He put on a pair of thick soled fur lined boots and pulled on a large cloak with bear fur lining, covering his head with the hood.

"Vous parlez Français," Fleur declared. She was ushered back into the medical tent along with her sister in order to take another pepper up to help prevent them from catching colds.

"Non," Harry replied, his ears blowing smoke from the pepper-up potion's effects that the medi-witch made him take. "I just know some basic words. I'm sorry."

"No, zat is all right," Fleur said. "At least Gabrielle eez zafe, I was worried."

"I understand," Harry said. He looked in Luna's direction. She too had smoke coming out of her ears, but it looked like she was having fun, as her father had shown up to witness the completion of the second task. She waved at him and he waved back at her. He turned his attention to the girl he'd retrieved and asked, "Are you all right mademoiselle?"

The little girl nodded shyly and snuggled into her sister's arms.

He smiled and then stepped out of the tent to find Ron, since Hermione was in the medical tent too. He found him hanging around with his older brothers, when found that Bill Weasley was present to witness the task. "Hey Bill," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"Came to see the task," the tall, long-haired Weasley said. "There wasn't much to see, though, since you were all under the lake. Now tell me who she is?" He asked pointing to Fleur.

"That's the Champion for Beauxbatons," Harry said with a small sneeze. "Her name is Fleur Delacour, do you want me to introduce you?"

"Yes, please," Bill said and they walked over to speak to the French girls as the judges were still deliberating about the second task.

Harry re-joined Fred and George, near Ron, who was still upset that Hermione had been taken and that his idol Viktor Krum was the one that had to rescue her. He was still sulking when the results were posted. Harry and the twins rolled their eyes at the boy's attitude.

Cedric won first place with Harry, in the second task, because the Gryffindor had rescued a victim not belonging to him. Viktor got second place and Fleur was last, since she never made it to the Merfolk Village in time to rescue her sister.

"Now folks," Ludo Bagman announced. "That will be the order of delay for the final task, which is scheduled for June 24th. Do well in your studies children and I hope to see you all there."

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

It was now March and Harry's studies were getting intense. He couldn't believe that Snape had wanted him to research the properties of a flower that he'd conjured on a whim. However in his research he looked in the potions journal belonging to one Helga Hufflepuff, which was part of the library in his house-tent.

Truth be told, he knew that journals from the Founders were in there, he just hadn't had the curiosity to read them and he believed that they were personal. On the good woman's suggestion he skimmed through it and found several potions that he wanted to try, a few of them required the False Diamond Orchid in a base.

With the help of the Founders, he had begun keeping his own potions journal during the past summer, although his was an Alchemical journal where he made notes about certain effects or results when one ingredient was mixed with another. He paused in his current note-taking task when he received a one-line note from one of the school's smaller brown coloured owls.

..._Write back with dates and times of your Hogsmeade weekends_...

It was from his Godfather. He'd been exchanging letters with the man for the majority of the year. '_I guess he's going to be close by for the last task_,' he thought. '_I wonder if I should let Ron and Hermione know about him being nearby..._' He paused to consider it and then knew that he was going to selfish about it. '_He's my Godfather and the only true adult, parental type figure that I trust. Besides he' probably going to question me about the dream I had and I don't want them to know about it. I might tell them about who runs the Underground Courier, though. I'll see what Sirius says about that._'

He wrote back and told the poor owl to send another of its brethren for a delivery, after he'd given it a treat for its troubles. The weather was not good for the birds this time of year.

He looked to the carryall bag next to his desk. He'd prepared it on the off chance that he could deliver it or meet up with his Godfather. He'd been able to purchase a second house-tent from '_Bits & Bobs_', a shop that contained second-hand equipment of many types. He used the money from his winning bets during the Quidditch World Cup, which was a relief because he technically didn't want that to count as a school event, to purchase it.

It was similar to the one that he'd purchased for himself with several rooms. The newer one had more food storage in the kitchen area and less cooking surfaces. He stuffed the bedroom closet and drawers with clothing that he bought from another second hand shop in Hogsmeade.

The tent also contained a library space with very few books that were there from a previous owner. He copied them and left the originals on the shelves, in case the man needed something to occupy his time.

The new tent had a full bathroom, that he fully stocked with towels and cleaning supplies. It also had two additional rooms that looked to have been used for storage purposes, judging by the crates and shelving units that were left behind in the rooms.

Of course, anything that he found of interest, he examined. Books and scrolls were copied and anything of use, like pots, pans and kettles, he made sure that they were in tip, top working order. He stocked the food storage units with plenty of non-perishable foods, most from muggle sources like rice, grains, there were pasta noodles of all kinds and an extensive variety of canned goods too. He re-enforced the food storage units with carved runes and hissed Parseltongue magic.

Pulled from thinking about the carryall and its prepared contents, he returned his attentions to the potions journal in order to decide which one to study in depth. "Which do you think would be more useful," Harry questioned Helga. "The Wound Stabilizer Potion, the Occlude Draft or the Masking Vapours. I'm not going to mention the Truth Serum Neutralizer to him since he's already threatened to dose me with Veritaserum."

"The Masking Vapours would be the best one that you can do in less time," Helga said. "That's the one that can be done within a student's time span. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to prepare the ingredients and then half an hour of brewing time. Also it'd be a useful gift to your godfather."

"Right then," Harry said. "I'll have to double check my ingredients and sent an Owl Order for any missing ones." He read off the ingredients and then made notations in his potions journal, adding a tab to indicate its importance and that he was working on that one.

"_The potion creates a vapour that can mask a person's identity by altering key features, unlike the Polyjuice Potion which complete alters a person's full physical aspect in order to take over someone's role by use of human body parts. The Masking Vapours Potion is limited in duration, but that duration time can be altered with the changes to a few ingredients. Due to the rarity of many of these ingredients this potion has not seen much use in recent years._" He read out loud. "I wonder if this is on the Ministry's controlled potions list."

"You'll have to look it up," Rowena said. "Perhaps you should invest in an updating list of controlled potions."

"I'll have to use the school's library for that," Harry said. He looked through the journal and stumbled across on that peaked his interest. "Truth Serum Antidote, a derivative of the Truth Serum Neutralizer," he looked to Helga. "I've never seen anything on that subject."

"It was just a fiddle," Helga said. "I was hoping to get the chance to test it out. Theoretically it's supposed take neutralizer ingredients that force the truth from someone to be completely nullified, but you've got your Parseltongue spells to prevent that."

Harry nodded, but he figured that sometime in the future he'd play with that potion, probably using Alchemical formulations instead of following the Potions Standards of the Potioneers Guild.

That was one of the things that he'd happily discovered. Some spells were stronger, if he used the snake-language in conjunction with another language be it Latin, English or even Gobbledegook, which he'd been learning these past few months. He tested several base spells and was pleased to note their differences in execution. The ones he pronounced in the Goblin Language without using going through the intermediary of snake language were powerful and more destructive. No wonder the Ministry of Magic prevented the goblins from using wands.

The books he used in his researches for potions or to write his essays had expanded due to the languages he now had access to. It was interesting to read and use them as references, but he couldn't wait for the chance to purchase some muggle fiction books in other languages. He didn't want to study all the time.

Harry packed up his essays and other projects in order to go research in Hogwarts' library for the list of banned or controlled potions. He didn't want to give his potions Professor any room to call attention to the legalities of his research.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**


	13. Chapter 13

**CH 13**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Professor Snape was a man that didn't like surprises. He certainly held strong opinions about people too and he refused to suffer stupidity, especially from the hormonally challenged teenagers that he's forced to teach on a daily basis. His past experiences with James Potter had definitely coloured the man's perspective of the man's son. But he needed the boy's research for the use of the False Diamond Orchid, it was one thing that he'd never had the time for. The men that he considered his Masters, had considered his need to research different potions frivolous because they wanted his talents for war based potions. He knew that assigning the primary research to his students, would give him ideas and directions for potions and who know something good could come out of it.

He had a False Diamond Orchid flower and stem in his stores. He was fully prepared to allow the boy access to it for comparison purposes, but so far the child hadn't even approached him about anything to do with the task he'd been given. '_Little runt,_' Severus thought. '_Probably thinks he's too good to ask questions on the subject or get the aid he sorely needs._'

He wasn't curious about what the Gryffindor could find in potions, since he was a Potions Master and he had a good idea of the potions information available for the fourth year boy. Although, since the boy's talents were limited in the field of potions, he wondered if he should have even bothered in making the deal erroneous deal.

"Professor Snape," Harry knocked on the lab door.

'_Here he is, on time for once the little blaggard,_' Snape thought. "Enter!" He watched the youth scurry to a potion station. "Hand in your analysis of the ingredient and the potion you've chosen to do, then take out the ingredients and prepare them quietly, I have marking to do."

"Yes sir," Harry said with respect, but his Professor didn't look keen on someone trying to butter him up with social niceties, since he believed that's exactly the boy was doing.

The Gryffindor wasn't. He just handed in the scroll copy of his research work. He'd decided at the beginning of this year to only hand in date and time stamped copies of any of his works and that he'd keep his originals in a work journal that he'd created to store his good school work.

"You'll notify me when you're going to conjure the False Diamond Orchid," Snape said. "I want to witness its creation."

"Yes sir," Harry replied. He took out his tools and made sure that they were sharpened and clean before pulling out the jars of ingredients to work on. He took out a tiny phial that had a dropper screwed into the top of it. He had to be careful with this one. Several of his ingredients were in vials and in glass or crystal beakers, so he made sure that the beaker stand is one that would not collapse.

Professor Snape observed the boy from a distance, while marking fourth year essays. He wasn't in a rush to mark Potter's since he hated the boy.

"Professor," Harry called out. "I'm ready to conjure the False Diamond Orchid."

"Stand before me and do it," Professor Snape said, as he remained seated.

Harry set up a barrier around his ingredients before doing so. He noticed his Professor arch an eyebrow in that direction, before he used his wand to form the shape of his spell, as he hissed (...Orchidaceae Epidendrum fulgen puteulanus, gemma, similis scutulatus, reservo, una, diei...)

Snape watched as the flower came into being from the stem up to the petals. He waited until the spell was complete and the boy was holding it to ask, "How long with it last?"

"One day," Harry said.

"Did you want to use a real one for your potion," Severus asked.

"I have one of those too," Harry said and pointed to his workstation. "I didn't know if you wanted me to make two potions or just the one with the conjured flower. I came prepared to do both."

Professor Snape frowned and then he said, "Do both!"

"All right," Harry said. "Just to let you know sir that I'm putting up a proximity barrier. I can't let you within two feet of the potion, until it is complete. It's just for security purposes."

"Hmph," Severus noised. "I can observe well enough from here." The boy nodded and then returned to set up a second station in order to prepare his potions. He watched the barrier rise and then he observed the boy's starting sequence.

'_So he's going to use the flowers in a base,_' he thought. '_How unimaginative, he's making the Standard Wound Neutralizer._' He sneered in the boy's direction and then chose to continue marking the papers of the boy's year mates. It didn't take too long. He glanced at the boy and noticed that the flames under the two cauldrons were very low. Almost too low for the Wound Neutralizer, but they he shrugged and planned to dock the boy marks for messing up a perfectly good potion.

Harry was glad that he had the barrier up, since he was sure that his Professor would be behind him breathing down his neck, if he could. He had an idea of what the man would do, if he'd noticed how he was preparing the ingredients, however the Gryffindor still hadn't heard a degrading comment yet.

'_Hope he makes me test it,_' he thought. '_I'm going to look like my mother and then he can't say a thing about me looking like my father._' He'd studied photographs of Lily from the library archives, enough to know what to add and how to look more like her, using the Masking Vapours.

It was too quiet in the boy's direction and Snape had to look up to check on the reckless Gryffindor. The flame was turned up again, but this time he noticed that the boy was carefully letting one tiny, infinitesimal drop fall into his pestle bowl where it looked like he had pounded something. He watched as the boy repeated this step in a second pestle bowl and then watched as the he put the dropper vial away in a pouch hanging from his waist.

'_One drop of something,_' Snape ran through the list of common ingredients for the potion known as the Wound Neutralizer. '_There's no call for a single drop of anything in that potion,_' he looked at the scroll that Harry had handed to him. He took it, opened it and then gasped at the title.

_A Study on Conjured versus Original False Diamond Orchid in the Masking Vapours Potion! Written by Harry Potter, fourth year Gryffindor_

Snape looked up at the boy's stations and noticed that some of the ingredients were not what he'd assumed they'd be. He stood, walked up to lean over the boy like he normally did to intimidate the boy, but he couldn't because of the proximity barrier. That potion seemed to be delicate. He wanted to bark at the boy for attempting what could be considered a sixth year potion, but then he just watched as the boy followed directions in what was clearly a well used potions journal. It contained notes in the boy's newer and more precise handwriting too.

'_Since when does Potter use a potions journal,_' he thought. '_I've been trying to get them to use such journal methods since first year, but do they listen. No!_' He watched the boy set up a timer over each potion. There were only three ingredients left and to Snape's surprise they were added one at a time, simultaneously to each simmering cauldron without the boy having used his wand to direct them.

He skimmed through the study and found that the boy's reasoning was sound. However one ingredient caught his eye. It was the one ingredient that should have been impossible for the boy to ever obtain, let alone have without paying a fortune for it. '_Basilisk venom_,' he thought. '_Where in Salazar's name did the brat get Basilisk venom?_'

"Done," Harry said, killing the flames under the cauldrons. He pulled out two large flasks of different colours and emptied the cauldron contents into them and into two smaller ones as samplers for his Professor. He wasn't going to give the man the larger portion of the potions.

"You will test the version with the conjured flower," Snape said automatically, as his mind was still stuck on the fact that the boy had found basilisk venom.

Harry nodded and took out a testing spoon of clear, thick glass. He poured potion from the light blue flash into the spoon, he put a stopper on the flask, before taking the potion. He swallowed it quickly since it thickened to a pudding like texture when exposed to air. At least he was still behind the proximity barrier.

The potion wasn't sweet or sour, but a mix of both with a bitter fruit like aftertaste.

'_Still a hundred times better than the Polyjuice Potion,_' he thought.

He then turned his mind to the mask he wanted to wear. He had to concentrate and alter his hair, remove his scar and make his eyes a paler version to match those of his mother's from the pictures he'd found from her time as a student at this school.

Professor Snape was shocked at the changes in the boy before him. The infamous scar actually disappeared. The boy's hair grew slightly longer, to the boy's shoulders, turning to shade of red that he only remembered from his memories and those eyes. If he thought the boy had his mother's eyes, everyone would have been mistaken because those eyes were now truly the same shade as his mother's.

"Lily," Snape said in a tone of voice the showed he was shocked and there was hurt behind it.

Harry didn't think it was such a good idea any more after hearing the emotion, to have chosen to change his looks to match that of his mother. It was too late since the mask crested by the potion had settled over his face. He didn't look exactly like her, but it was close enough that he knew he had severely startled his Professor. He turned around and cleaned up his potions stations, quickly and quietly, since the man looked to have been lost in his memories.

Snape shook his head and demanded, "Change back and take that proximity charm down."

"I can't change anything," Harry said, as packed away the rest of the potions that he'd successfully made, leaving the two sample vials on the potion station for the man. Only then did he take the proximity charm down. "The changes will last for approximately ten minutes, according to my calculations."

"Tell me where you got the basilisk venom," Snape asked in a tone that sounded more like an accusation of theft rather than anything else.

"The Chamber of Secrets," Harry said, as he picked up his schoolbag.

"Mr. Potter," Snape snarled. "After all this time, I thought you'd know better than to lie to me." Although, using his Legilimens skill automatically, he could clearly see that the boy was telling him the truth.

"Professor," Harry said in a tone that told the man that he was just holding onto his temper. The Gryffindor felt the push of Legilimency and wondered if that was how it was supposed to feel like. "The creature that I killed, you know, Slytherin's supposed monster was a basilisk. I killed it in my second year. Didn't Professor Dumbledore tell you about it?"

"You're dismissed Potter," Snape said. He was too shocked by the boy's appearance and by that new revelation.

He no longer wanted to torture the boy. Especially looking too much like the Lily Evans, his long ago best friend and the woman that married his schoolboy rival James Potter. It was singularly disturbing to see her expressions of confusion on the face of the boy he knew he hated because of the boy's seeming similarity to his father.

"Um...," Harry hedged.

"I SAID GET OUT," Snape yelled.

The Gryffindor ran out of the room, as though chased by Dementors. Severus locked the door behind the boy, and set up a sign on the door telling his seventh year students to go to the library to research the essays they had due for the following week. It was one of the few times in all his years of teaching that he came to regret some of his actions.

"Damn it Lily," Severus said, as put his head down. "Please forgive me," he whispered to no one. (…i…)

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry had been surprised by his Potions Professor's reaction to the masking potion. However the man had honestly evaluated his work and he received a rare '_Outstanding_'grade from him, which of course, didn't count for his final grade. He nearly regretted doing so well, but he couldn't have done any less either or else his portrait tutors would have been disappointed in him.

He was now walking along the road behind the store called Dervish and Bangs. He was going to meet up with his Godfather, finally. He brought the copies of the papers that he'd never sent and hoped that the man would understand his dilemma.

"Woof," a large black dog barked at him. It looked like one of those oversize wolfhounds that he'd seen on the telly, oh so long ago, on a rare day that he'd had the house to himself.

Harry truly smiled a real smile for the first time since this school year began. "Padfoot," he said in a tone that one would use talking to a dog. "Come here boy." The dog barked, danced in a circle and jumped up to lick his face. "Ha, ha," the Gryffindor laughed. "Come, on, let's get you some food."

He followed the dog to a small cave, up a mountain, just outside of Hogsmeade Village. The cave contained a fire pit and a sleeping area and not much else. Suddenly he hugged by an adult person and one that obviously cared about him. Who pointed to the back of the cave and the hippogriff there, waiting to be greeted too, so Harry bowed to the creature who bowed right back.

"Harry, pup," Sirius said, as he hugged the boy again. "You could have brought your friends."

"No," Harry said and buried his face in the man's shoulder. "I'm being selfish right now and I wanted to talk to you without them hanging around."

"Did you at least bring me some food," Sirius asked.

"Better," Harry said and gave him the carryall that he brought with him. "This is for you."

"Really," the man said, excited with the bag. He opened it and noticed that the inside was slightly larger and had many pockets on the inside. In the main compartment of the carryall was the large cylinder container with the tent inside. "What's this?"

He pulled out the tent container, as Harry put out the embers of the fire, hissed the word (...Lumos...) to create a light bubble, he repeated it and sent one of the bubbles to Buckbeak's area so that the animal wasn't stuck in complete darkness. He then helped the man set up the tent, showing him how it all came together. "Go on in," Harry said. "You'll see."

"All right," Sirius said in a tone that he wasn't convinced that his godson had brought him anything good. "Wheeoow," he whistled. He looked to the boy who'd entered the tent after him. "Bloody genius," he said. "Now why didn't I think of something like this?"

"You were too busy running from the Law," Harry said. "You can use magic to set it up and take it down quickly. Come on, let me show you around," he said and pointed out the features, including the fully stocked kitchen with instructions for the muggle pasta. He showed him how to use a can-opener and then the extra food storage units. He made a pasta soup for his Godfather, as the man explored the tent on his own and then went to take a much, needed shower.

"Harry, how are you feeling," Sirius asked, as he came back in a fresh change of clothes and wet hair. "About the tournament and everything else you sent me, like the prophesy information?"

Harry shrugged in order to seem unaffected and then he said, "The Tournament's fine, I'm treating it like a treasure hunt or something of that nature. As for the Prophesy, well I went to the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic, this summer before I met up with the Weasleys. The goblins told me where to go. It was too easy getting into the Hall of Prophesies in order to get mine from that place."

"Do you have it with you now," Sirius asked.

"Yeah," Harry said. "Did you want to hear it?"

"I believe everything you've told me in your letters, but I burned them once I was done," Sirius said. "I did it o protect you. But as your guardian, parental type figure, I think I need to hear it clearly before you destroy it."

Harry nodded and then went into one of the storage rooms. He came back with a small pensieve. "I got this just in case you needed to see it," he explained and then he took out the small ball that contained a tag with his name and Lord Voldemort's name on it. "I replaced it with another sphere that had the same tag, but in it I only put one of the other Prophesies that I found out this summer, it was the one from the Oracle Clan that I put back in the Department of Mysteries."

"Which one is that," Sirius asked as he put the ball of the human Prophesy into the pensieve.

"It's the one that says, '_Hidden, ancient scholars, the thread-born, shall teach the One, who'll destroy the undead wand-waving creature born of blackened magic_.' It only talks about my private tutors and nothing big is given away," Harry said. "I doubt that the Dark Idiot would even remember that he'd met one of them when he was back in school. But since the Prophesy exists and it's about the two of us, it was an acceptable replacement and one I don't about."

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean, but at least you do and that's important," Sirius said. "Do you want to go in with me?"

"Nah," Harry said. "I already know what it says and I suspect that it was Trelawney that told this one. I'll just finish making you some lunch, while I wait."

"Okay then," the man said. He put a finger in the bowl with the Prophesy memory. It did sound a lot like the batty Divination Professor of Hogwarts. His godson hadn't been lying about the contents. He came back out and then looked to the boy who seemed to have the weight of the Wizarding World on his shoulders and in a sense the boy did.

"Harry," he started to say, but the noticed that the boy just looked at him as though there was nothing wrong with the contents of the pensieve. He rubbed the back of his neck and asked, "What's for lunch?"

"Hardy soup and sandwiches," the young Gryffindor said. "Here," he gave the man a full bowl and plate. Then he took the Prophesy ball out of the pensieve, while Sirius watched him. He threw in onto the ground destroying it.

"Why," Sirius asked. "Others might have needed to know."

"I believe it's one of Dumbledore's secrets," Harry said with a frown. He explained about the happenings in his first year and then told the man about every school year since. "He's setting me up to try and '_vanquish_' the dark lord, but doesn't know about the extra conditions that need to be fulfilled first. Or if he does, he's not talking about it to anyone."

"I can see where you get the idea, based on what I just heard, especially if that's the only prophesy he knows about," Sirius said. "So what are your plans?"

Harry sighed and then said, "I'm going to find the vessels first, but I'm also going to continue my education the best way that I know how." His Godfather nodded for him to continue. "Last year I asked my aunt Petunia to write me a specific permission slip stating that I was permitted to pursue any form of education, provided that she wasn't financially responsible. I'm going to continue that extra education during my summers. She's happy that I don't have to live with them because of it. At that school I'll hopefully gain additional experience in self-defence and other types defensive and offensive magic."

"All right," Sirius said. "I know that wherever that school is located, you're safe. I trust you in this, but I will still expect letters from you to let me know how you're doing. Speaking of which, how's you Occlumency and Legilimency training going."

"Well, I don't really have anyone to cast the spells at me so I'm not sure how they are," Harry said. "Will you do it? I need to know what it feels like, since I think someone did cast Legilimency on me, but I don't think that it was successful."

"All right," Sirius said. "Do you want me to ask you specific questions and to warn you that I'm casting the spell or not?"

"Don't tell me, until you've finished," Harry said and looked into the man's eyes letting him know that he was going to be all right. "I have to know how it feels without being warned about it, since no one honest would warn you anyway."

Sirius had already cast the spell and felt the truth of the boy's answer and then he asked the question he'd had in his mind since his godson had told him about the Prophesies that existed. "Where did you learn about the Prophesies? Who told you what they were?"

Harry smiled and asked, "Have you ever heard or read anything about Morgana being a Seeress?"

"Sure," the man said, still digging into his godson's mind. He was only seeing shapes and shadows along with a sensation of peace that he didn't need to know anymore. He knew that it was the boy's method of protecting his mind, but he was still curious about the answer. "It's one of the little known facts about the woman," he paused and then asked. "Are you telling me that you went to her temple in New Orleans? Harry that place is just a tourist trap!"

"I didn't go to New Orleans," Harry said. "I went to her real temple, the one that's buried underground and has been for hundreds of years."

Sirius knew that it was the truth because he sensed it, but there were no specific images or other information that he could pick up. It was like the boy was dreaming in a fog. Some shapes made no sense to him, like walking or attacking skeletons and there were bears and rats too. "How did you know where to go?"

"I had a map," Harry replied. He felt the pressure that the man was putting on his mind and he knew now that his Professor Snape had used that ability on him. He just hoped that his protections were working and that his godfather was not learning or seeing anything specific. "My summer school likes to send us away to gather natural supplies and they encouraged us to explore places using old pre-explored treasure maps."

The man sighed and then stopped the spell, "I can't see anything. Everything has a sense of truth to it, but all I'm getting are shapes and shadowy outlines and no real sense of place or time."

"It's working then," Harry said. "Did you use your full strength?"

"I did," Sirius said. "Did you feel it?"

"I did, but it was more like getting a slow headache," Harry said. "That's when I actively sent a few spells your way to lull you into peace, so-to-speak."

"I felt that, but I didn't know that it was you," the man said. He watched as the boy sent away the empty plates for washing. "The Headmaster wants me to wait here until the end of your final task. He suspects that something may happen during it and I have a feeling he's going to ask me to round up members of an old group that he'd formed the first time that the Dark Lord was making trouble."

"I understand," Harry said. "I'm better protected at both schools than I ever was with my aunt. I received confirmation that I can continue my studies for the summer program. They're expecting me to obtain Adept rank, as soon as I can. I already have my aunt's blanket written permission to continue."

"You'll have mine as well," Sirius said. "I may be on the run from the Ministry of Magic, but I'm still your magical legal guardian."

Harry grinned and then pulled out the Masking Vapours Potions that had been made with the real False Diamond Orchid. "This potion will help you," he said. "You should be able to get a new wand from somewhere with it, I hope. Maybe interview a few people in person for submissions?"

"Blimey," Sirius said. "I haven't seen one of these in a long time. It's the Masking Vapours, right?"

"Yes," Harry said in a pleased tone. "I made it with you in mind. This version will last for thirty minutes. So I recommend that you put into small vials and take it only when you need to. It is only a mask after all, nothing like the Polyjuice Potion."

"You're right, but this will be enough for me to hide away if I must," Sirius said. Then he looked to the boy and exclaimed, "You made this. I knew you were a little genius..." He paused and then asked, "But your marks?"

"He still hates me, but I think he's going to mark my potions essays with a nearly unbiased eye now because of this," Harry said and then explained the bargain he and his Head of House had made with Professor Snape. "We knew that the mark wouldn't count, but I had to make him see that I wasn't my father. That's why I chose this potion to study and make. Do you want to see how he marked my essay?"

"Of course," Sirius said, hugging the boy, as he exclaimed, "My godson is a genius."

"I'm glad you think so because I need to show you something else about the tent before I have to get back to school," Harry said. He showed the man the runes etched on the frame of the door. "These are security and chameleon runes. You push a bit of your magic into them and the tent will disappear from everyone else's sight. Since you used your own magic, you'll be able to detect it faster than anyone else."

"Little genius," Sirius said. "Next time you come, you'll bring your friends. I'd like to see them again, but don't you worry. I'm locking up everything we discussed so that no one can extract from me. It's a higher form of Occlumency, but I think you've already locked a lot of things away haven't you." He pressed hard to test the boy and his godson developed an instant migraine headache from the push.

"Thank you for testing me," Harry said, as he knew just who it was that was looking into his mind. He lifted a Headache Relieving Potion from his belt pouch and drank it down. "You're right. There's no reason not to keep things hidden at this point in time."

Sirius let up on the young man and nodded. He then looked at the boy and asked, "Is there anything that you want me to do? I was thinking of contacting Remus to get some submissions from him too, what do you think?"

"Yes, that's a good idea. He's got a hard time working, but he should be able to make some good submissions to the paper," Harry replied immediately. "I would also like you to look into the name of a student that attended Hogwarts about fifty or sixty years ago. Ask Hagrid about him, if you can. His name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. I want his mother's name and information about where she lived. His father's name is Thomas Riddle, but he was a muggle. However I get the impression that he was an important man, so there has to be something about him too. Try getting the information from the muggle library archives. This is very important." He was earnest in his request and his godfather was not an ex-Auror for nothing. He knew how to get information and he was experienced in tracking Dark Wizards wherever they chose to set up shop.

"All right pup," the man said with a final hug. "I'll start looking that up for you. Can you tell me why?"

Harry smiled weakly and then used his wand to show the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle. Then with an anagram spell swish of his wand the words, '_I am Lord Voldemort_,' appeared in eerie magical light, shocking the ex-con.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

TBC…

(…i…) I'm building something here for a potential sequel, whether it gets written or not. Just so you know.


	14. Chapter 14

**CH 14**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

April first was a day that the Weasley twins loved. First because it was their day of birth, but secondly it was a day where pranks were accepted and their small Owl order only business flourished, as they sold samples of their products to the students of the school.

They didn't care what House the students were in, so business for the two of them boomed.

However, this year they actually received two parcels from Hedwig. Ron didn't notice, but their little sister did and she wondered why Harry would be sending something to her older brothers.

The twins were surprised, but they opened up the packages. One package contained a small parcel of books, including one that had been in Harry's personal tent library called _Small Business Spells_. He'd sent them two others on how to run a successful business. One was called '_Magical Marketing for the Masses_' and the other was '_Business Accounting - Big and Small_'. The second parcel contained a few common muggle joke items that the twins were absolutely fascinated with.

They pulled Harry away from his friends demanding an explanation for each and situations in which each item could be used. Whoopee cushions were explained with great hilarity, the nerd glasses didn't need that much explanation, tooth tinting gum and hot pepper gum was also easily explained.

"Most of these pranks are harmless," Harry said. "Some require some ingenuity to set up like the Whoopee cushions."

"Right-o Harry," Fred said, as he routed through the package and found glasses with spring-loaded, plastic eyes. "These are great."

"You better believe it," George said, as he put on oversize plastic sunglasses with a fluorescent green frame. "We could definitely use some of these ideas to make more magical products of our own," as he read about the function of the dribble glass that he pulled out of the box.

"I know," Harry said and then looked at them seriously. "Guys, um...I'd like to invest money in your shop. Maybe buy a few shares, you know, to support you...um...silently. Maybe I could buy a building for you in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley to set up your shop or a private lab somewhere for safe experimentation?"

Fred and George exchanged looks. They turned to Harry and asked, "Why?"

"Mainly because of something that I recently learned about my father and the friends he had in school," Harry explained. "They loved to prank people, although I have a feeling that they sometimes took it way too far." He paused to frown at that and then looked to them, "Anyway I figured that you could use a safe place to experiment or something like that."

"We refuse charity," George said, proudly.

"I understand," Harry said holding up his hand. "I was suggesting something more a partnership. A kind of silent business partnership because I'd like to be involved in something had has nothing to do with the Dark Idiot, if you know what I mean."

Luna showed up just then and said, "You should accept his offer."

"Luna," Harry put his hand over his eyes, as though to hide. He peeked through his fingers to gauge how the sixth year, Gryffindors were taking Luna's information. "Please," he said.

"They should know," the girl said, looking at both of them and then she focused on George. She tugged on Fred's arm and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Happy Birthday," she said, and tugged George to give him a tiny peck on his amused and then stunned mouth. "You're mine, in five years time." She then walked away with a flutter of her hand in a wave. "Be sure to send your order sheet to the Quibbler and the Underground Courier too."

"What the bloody hell was that," George asked, when he remembered that he had two guys grinning at him wickedly. "Is she cracked?"

"No," Harry sighed, still smiling. "I think she Sees things though. I've spoken to her from time to time and her advice has never once failed me. She's right though, you should put your Owl order forms in those too papers."

"Aren't you and her an item or something," George asked, although he suspected that they weren't going out since the girl had basically staked her claim on him? He pondered the strange Ravenclaw girl that walked away from them. He thought she was too young for him.

"No," Harry said. "We just play the part because it keeps the mass attention seekers away from me."

Fred looked to him and said, "That's brilliant, but what if someone was truly interested in you."

"I'm not prepared to invest time in anyone," Harry told them seriously. "I have too much to do, studying-wise and time is getting away from me. I want to do the best that I can within my immediate limitations. That's why I'd like to partner up with you two, in something like this. It'll keep reminding me that magic can be used for jolly good fun."

"Well," Fred looked to George, who nodded his head to his twin, who nodded back.

George looked at Harry and held out his hand. "All right partner, we agree. We'll meet again before the year ends…"

"…and draw up particulars for our future association," Fred said and held out his hand too.

Harry smiled at them, cross his arms and shook both of their extended hands, laughing as they did. "Bargain agreed," he said. "Meet me at the Gringotts Branch during the next Hogsmeade week-end at eight am in the morning. It's the best time to set up business accounts."

"Bargain agreed," Fred said and nodded his head.

"We'll be there," George agreed and nodded too.

Harry waved at them, as he headed in the direction of his morning class, "Bring your betting slip too."

Fred looked to his twin with a questioning look on his face and asked, "Do you think we're going to regret this?"

George had a similar expression and then he shook his head saying, "Nah. I'm thinking we're going to be in the right place at the right time for once."

"What about your future girl," Fred asked with a wicked grin.

George shrugged and said, "You know I'm not into the dating scene or anything like that. Five years may seem like a long way off, but if things are going to get…"

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Fred said. "We're just going to have to make sure that everyone's as safe as they can be and…"

"Make sure that we're still around to lighten the mood with products from Weasleys Wizard Wheezes," they finished together with a high-five to one another.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Around the twentieth of May, sometime between the first and seventh of the month the four Champions were rounded up by Ludo Bagman and the other judges. The goal of the third task was explained to them down at the Quidditch Pitch.

Harry goggled at the sight of the growing hedges that were about eighteen inches high at the moment. His beloved Quidditch Pitch, a place where he'd been flying a few times in the past year to clear his head was now out of bounds. '_Bloody hell,_' he thought. '_Why does something always ruin a perfectly good year of school?_'

"Don't worry young man," Ludo Bagman said. "I know just how you feel. The Pitch will be returned to playing shape in time for your next year of school."

Harry nodded his head and then walked away from them, when they were dismissed. He had another appointment in Hogsmeade and couldn't miss it for anything. His godfather had sent him a note to meet up with him without his friends tagging along.

He raced through the corridors of Hogwarts, up to his private closet room and into his Alchemy room to pick up the flask with the Masking Potion that he'd made again. His godfather had requested more of it and that if it could be made to last longer, he'd greatly appreciate it.

So Harry had tested different versions and one that actually ended up tasting like fermented grape juice, which lasted for just a little over two hours. He only needed to change the cutting angle on the flower stem of his conjured Orchid, which had to have a longer expiration time. The one that he'd made for his test with Snape and contained the flower that had a time limit of one day had turned to sludge.

He also needed to use half of a crushed petal instead of three, plus two and a half drops of basilisk venom, a small change to the temperature of the flames when it is low, by one degree. That's all that needed to be changed on the original recipe in order to extend the time that the Masking Vapours could be used.

He had tested it on himself to mask his lightning bolt scar, change his hair and eye colour for the fun of it. He claimed that he'd been pranked, but didn't state who had done it. He'd walked around school with dark green hair, while his eyes were turned to a lime green for two hours and fifteen minutes. He deemed the changed potion to be a success. The Weasley twins accepted congratulations for the well-done prank, but were planning to get the information out of the Boy-Who-Lived on what really had happened.

So far the blasted boy had avoided them. They chose to follow him on the day that he was planning to meet up with his godfather. However he knew that they were there, besides he figured that the twins would be pleased to meet up with one their Marauder heroes, if he could keep them from cursing the man in the first place.

Harry double-checked his pockets and carryall before heading out to Hogsmeade. He was lucky this weekend, as Hermione had chosen to study for her final exams, while Ron was in detention for fighting with Malfoy again. They were both stuck cleaning the boys' first floor toilettes with toothbrushes. Not an original punishment, but definitely one that they would remember.

The Boy-Who-Lived walked about Hogsmeade without a care at who would see him because he used the Mask Potion again, this time all he'd done was change the shape of his glasses, his eye colour to a pale greenish-brown and let his hair grow to his shoulders again. The twins were surprised that no one noticed.

They followed him, disillusioned by the common charm that they knew about. They were busy whispering when they fell to the Petrificus Totalus spell. They felt their bodies being levitated and then moved to a secluded location. They weren't released from the spell until their disillusion charm had faded.

Harry shook his head and said, "You two! Accio all Weasley twins' wands." He pocketed all of the wands, the real along with the trick wands in a leather sack. "You want to know what's going on, well then follow the path until you get to a small opening between the rocks." They looked back at him and he said, "Go on. I'll be right behind you."

He then held them at wand point, forcing…um…guiding them to the cave. His godfather appeared from the tent opening in the cave, offering them some soup. "Hey," Sirius said. "You guys hungry, I just made pasta soup." He looked at the Weasley twins and then he turned to Harry, "These aren't your regular friends."

"Nope," Harry replied. "Go on guys, he's practically harmless." The twins were up for nearly anything and since it was extremely obvious that their young friend and business partner was not afraid of someone known as a serial killer, they figured that they'd eventually get an explanation.

They declined the soup in favour of the truth first. "We prefer to be certain…"

"That what we're about to eat is not poisoned," George finished.

"Right," Harry said. "Well, then, last year you know that Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban." The twins nodded and motioned for him to get on with the story. "You also know that Ron lost Scabbers."

They looked to one another and wondered what the significance that was.

"Scabbers is the animagus rat form of a man that was also known as Wormtail," Harry said with a significant look at them, but saw that they recognized that name. "His real name is Peter Pettigrew and he was the one that betrayed my parents to the Dark Idiot."

The twins' eyes widened at that and they understood much more, as they grimaced at the thought that some strange man had been living in their house, hiding from justice and condemning what seemed to be an innocent man to prison. "How do we know…"

"That you're telling us the truth," George finished.

"Ron knows," Harry said. "Remember when his leg was injured last year."

The twins nodded and then turned to the man. George asked, "Why were you placed in prison?"

"Why hide now," Fred asked. The situation was explained and the twins whistled at the complications of it. "So now you're on the run from…"

"The law," George continued. "Poor mite," he said to Harry, as he noogied his head in a brotherly fashion. "No one to turn to, no one to trust!"

"Shove off," Harry said, as he escaped from their evil brotherly clutches. "I trust the two of you with him, just as you two trusted me with this," he said and pulled out the Marauders' Map.

"Well that's something I haven't seen in a long time," Sirius said. He looked at the map fondly and then noticed the shrewd look he was getting from the two red-haired look-a-likes. "What?"

"Do you know who made it," Fred asked in a rushed breath.

"Of course I do," Sirius said with a grin. "I made this with my friends. Mr. Padfoot, at your service," he bowed to the boys and changed into the large black wolfhound, which looked like it could be mistaken for a Grim. They nearly squealed like girls in delight and then they turned to Harry with a look, asking for an explanation.

"My father was nicknamed Prongs," Harry said. "Apparently he was an unregistered animagus also, a large Stag like my Patronus. Professor Lupin was Moony and you know about the other one."

"Brilliant," Fred said in a quick breath.

"Bloody brilliant," George replied. "We want to do the same. You guys are our heroes."

"Pranking where pranking has never gone before," Fred said with a nod. "Please teach us more."

Sirius barked out his laughter and then turned to his godson. "I like them," he said. "Of course I'll help where I can, what do you boys have in mind?"

"I wanted to buy them the premises for their shop," Harry said. "I also want to open up an experimental lab for the creation of magical joke items, but I don't want it to be in the same place as their store."

"We agreed that he'd be the honorary head of our Research and Development department," Fred said. "He gave us muggle items to see, if they could be converted to a magical equivalent."

"We are in need of a private and secure place," George said. "Especially since our mum would definitely not approve of any of this."

"We'd need someone to oversee what we do in order to help improve things," Fred continued. "Kind of like a manager or some such."

"Do you know of anyone qualified," George asked, both twins were begging with their eyes.

"Are we talking of full-time or part-time work," Sirius asked.

"Part-time," the twins replied together and George continued by saying, "We know that things are going to get iffy in the future and it makes sense that we do our part…"

"We're not planning to monopolise anyone's time, but we would appreciate someone checking in on us from time to time," Fred explained. "You know to make sure that we're not hurt or damaged, so-to-speak?"

Sirius paused to look at the three boys. He liked their ideas and it was going to be a good thing for Zonko's to have some serious competition. He tilted his head and thought about how to go about creating items and then about a location for a shop. "Diagon Alley would be the best place to set up a shop," he said. "It's more centrally located to the majority of shoppers, I'll look into a place for lease or perhaps to buy and you can lease to own from me. I won't charge you a wand and a broom for it either."

"I agree," Harry said. "You'd get the students shopping for the school supplies there too. So, I'm thinking that maybe a warehouse or barn in a remote location for the research lab?"

Sirius nodded. "There are some located everywhere," he said. "Are you planning to purchase one?"

"Yes," Harry replied. "I'm going to have it secured and secreted by the Goblins of Gringotts or maybe the Dwarves of Stoneguard, those two races have more access to Earth magics and are the best for security period."

"All right little brother," Fred said. "You win. We'll wait for you to tell us where it is and then we can all come and go as we please."

"Right," George said. "Are you planning to name the lab anything interesting?" He received a questioning look from his brother and the younger Gryffindor. "I mean is it going to have a business name and purpose or will it be a subsidiary of WWW."

"I think that it will be a subsidiary company of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes," Harry said. "But the name of it has to be The Marauders' Mischief Lab or MML for short."

"Perfect pup," Sirius said. "I'll send and Owl to Remus and see if he can dig up our old pranking journals. He'll help when he can and might be the best one to look in on you from time to time, if you boys don't mind."

The twins' faces lit up at the thought of getting the venerated information.

"Guys," Harry said. "Just make sure that most of the pranks you produce are not harmful, okay?"

"Harry," Sirius asked in a tone.

"I don't want the pranks to be used to bully or to hurt anyone," Harry said and crossed his arms, as he explained. "I'd like it if the person being pranked could take it in a good humour, like Neville did with your Canary Creams, but I know that just like casting magic spells, intent is the key."

"We understand Harry," Fred said. "We'll leave you to talk to your godfather now."

"Our wands if you please," George said, with his hand out.

"Yes," Fred said. "If you please," he said with his hand out as well.

"All right," Harry said and handed them the storage bag he'd used for the wands. There had been too many of them, but the bag had been empty. It was one of his smaller bags that had a carrying capacity of five stone without any visible effect on the sack.

The boys left the place after they were Disillusioned once more.

The Boy-Who-Lived was alone with the man, who'd specifically asked him to show up in order to discuss what he'd found about the Riddle Family. "I found information on the name of the old man that died in your dream," Sirius told him. "His body was found in his old home and the muggle authorities claimed that the man died in his sleep."

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "That's what I figure they'd choose to say about it." He rubbed the back of his head and asked, "What about the Riddle Family?"

The ex-con explained, "They were once a prominent muggle family in a small town called Little Haggleton, not far from Great Haggleton. There were lots of ghost stories told in the local pub about the old man and he was link to a murder case that happened about fifty years ago. Three members of that family died under mysterious circumstances."

"The Dark Idiot is the one that did it," Harry said with certainty. "I've been doing research about the '_vessels_' comment from one of the Prophesies and what's coming up every time in my mind is nothing pretty and everything Dark."

"What is it," Sirius asked. Despite his allegiance to the Light, he knew about many Dark Magics and rituals related to them. "What do you think he did?"

The Boy-Who-Lived looked far, far older than his fourteen years. He looked at the man with a look that told him to read his sincerity, "I think that he created a Horcrux." The Head of the Black Family sucked in his breath sharply, but the young man only continued. "In fact, since one of the prophesies said the word '_vessels_' as in plural, I wouldn't be surprised if the Dark Idiot had made more than one."

"Bloody hell," Sirius swore. "If that's true than..."

"Yeah," the boy agreed. "He's not going to stop his rampage, as soon as he gets some kind of mobile body and I think that the Triwizard Tournament fits into that plan."

"I wish you were safe away from here," the man said, as he hugged his godson. "Do you want me to look further?"

"Please," Harry said. "There's something I'm missing, something about how a Horcrux is created." He held onto the man, who was more of a parent to him in the short amount of time that he'd known about him, than the Dursleys had ever been in the whole of the twelve plus years that he'd been living with them. "I know how to fix a botched Horcrux spell, however I still feel that something is missing, like how did he decide what to use as a container and what were the objects he chose?"

"I understand," Sirius said. "I'm going to need help on this. Can I bring Remus into the fold?"

"You haven't, yet?" Harry asked, surprised that the man would keep his oldest friend in the dark about any of this. "I thought that you'd have already told him some of it?"

"I can't," Sirius told him honestly. "It's part of the Godparent Magic and the oaths we take when we accept the position. James and Lily asked that I swear allegiance to you and you alone. They asked that, if you were to ever tell me something of a serious nature that I make every effort to believe and trust you. Any other alliances or allegiances that I choose to take in life are second to what I swore to you when you were a babe."

Harry bit his lips and tried to blink back tears of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. It was too much. Someone had sworn loyalty to him as a baby. He came first in that man's mind. Arms wrapped around him and he was enfolded in warmth. "Thank you," he said, as tried to hide the flinch his body made when the arms tightened. "I've never had that before."

"One day, sometime in the near future, I hope," Sirius started. "I hope that you'll tell me about it. Now though, I'd like to add Remus into the same bond and conditions that I'm bound by under the Godparent Magic. It seems that he's left you on your own too much and he might have been encouraged to keep his distance."

"You know that the same person that placed me with my aunt might have decided that I was to know nothing about my parents," Harry said, after he blew his nose into a handkerchief that had been held under it. He moved away after that to make some tea to calm down.

"Exactly," Sirius said. "There are several rituals to choose from, that can be done to allow me to share my responsibilities with him. It will allow him a voice in where you're place during your summers." He held up his hand in order to stop the protest he could see coming. "I already agreed that you can continue with your summer studies, but it will give the school someone they can actually contact should something happen to you. You already have the permission notes from your aunt and myself and he'll write one himself." He accepted the tea that was placed before him. "He'll just have to see that the summer program you chose is a good thing."

"You'll have to plan do it before the end of my fourth year here," Harry said, sipping his tea. "The Headmaster can't know about any of this either because I have a feeling that he'd try and stop you."

Sirius paused and thought about everything that his godson had told him about his previous years and from what he'd gleaned about the boy's true home life. "Good point," he said. "I wish this tent had a ritual room and then we could do it here."

"I have one in my tent," Harry said and sipped the tea he'd made.

"You do," the man said in a curious tone. "You have a tent too? Plus it contains a Ritual Room?"

"Of course I do," Harry said. "It's required equipment for my summer studies."

"Really," Sirius said and calculated a few things like time and planet alignments on the fly. His upbringing ensure that he knew the heavens and a few other things about rituals in order to make sure that they were carried out with optimum success. "Well, I'll be hexed," he said in a surprised tone. "You're program really requires you to have camping gear?"

"Yes," Harry said. "Look you get in touch with Professor Lupin and tell him what you can of your plans. Get him to send some of his Dark Arts essays or studies in print." He sighed and then said, "I've tried to write to him a few times, but the Owls all came back undeliverable."

"Really," Sirius' eyes gleamed. "Don't you worry about that, cause I'll get to the bottom of it, okay? Now what say you to letting me be the Professor for a bit, eh? I'll show you a few nifty jinxes and hexes that will never be taught to you in school."

Sirius looked at his godson's expression and barked his laughter out at the truly mischievous grin he received in reply.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**


	15. Chapter 15

**CH 15**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

The Dark Lord was in such a mood one night, that upon torturing his servant, Peter Pettigrew, with the Cruciatus Curse, Harry woke up. He gasped and shuddered from the leftover after effects of the spell.

"What the hell was that," he whispered. His body shuddered again. He got up from the study table in Gryffindor tower that he'd been using to study for his Runes test. Since he was exempt from the year-end final exam his Professors all insisted he take additional year-end tests. His friends looked at him with concern, but he only told them, "I'm going to the loo."

Harry walked up to the boys' dorms, bypassing his dorm room and chose to go into his closet space and tent instead. He needed the peace to sort what he'd seen and heard before he could produce it for the Headmaster and his godfather.

Sirius had discussed some of his concerns about not going to the Headmaster in certain situations. '_The man will suspect something, if you do not go to him, Harry_,' he'd said. '_It's best to let the old man get involved when something, like your scar hurting has taken place. He'd be in a far better position to take action quickly._'

Harry was reluctant, but he'd agreed to go to the old man, only after he'd sorted the information he'd just found out. He wanted to be sure that he could play the panicky boy, seeking attention, instead of someone that seemed calm going for help. He was fourteen and they didn't expect him to be calm in any situation, obviously because of his Gryffindor mentality and by association with a boy named Ron Weasley.

He splashed some water on his face, set his mind to the task and then he left his closet and tent, locking both behind him. Then, when he was sure that no one had seen him, he raced out of the tower and towards the Headmaster's office. He acted panicked in front of the Gargoyle and had hissed the word (...Open...) without even thinking about it.

The security device hopped to the side immediately to Harry's shock before he'd even thought of the names of sweets to ramble at the thing. '_I have got to remember this,_' he thought to himself. '_Now let's see, if the acting will work._'

He made sure to cast small Serenity spell on himself to keep his nerves at bay, but he still acted rushed. He raced up the exposed stairs, not caring if they were moving to get him up to the Headmaster's rooms or not. He paced the small corridor, while he waited for the voices inside the room to hurry up and finish their conversation.

He'd been surprised to hear the voice of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge in the room, declaring that Madam Maxime had been the one to attack Viktor Krum the previous night.

Harry had, had a little adventure when Barty Crouch Senior had appeared next to him and Viktor when they'd been talking privately. At the time that Viktor had been asking about Ron and Hermione's romantic status. Since the young man from Durmstrang had noticed that the red-haired boy was always upset in his presence, especially around the girl.

The Boy-Who-Lived had performed his first true bout of Legilimens on Mr. Crouch, since the man had obviously been disturbed mentally. He saw everything that the man had done and understood that the information he'd taken was important, however he still hadn't been able to figure out whom to give it to. So bound them in a couple of books and called them _Memoires of Bartholomew Crouch_.

However now it seemed that the Minister of Magic was sticking his nose into the situation a little late and it looked like the idiot man wanted to put the blame on someone and that someone, was a person known to have magical creature blood. The woman had been exposed to be a half-giant by Rita Skeeter in a article that came out after the Yule Ball. The boy frowned as he remembered Hermione's complaint about the level of intolerance of magical creatures that existed in this wonderful, magical world.

"I believe that young Mr. Potter needs to speak with you," Professor Moody said. He opened the door and said, "Come on in Harry."

"Headmaster," Harry said in a slightly worried tone. His hair was still damp from the brush through with water that he'd given it in order to look like he'd been sweating a bit. "I'm sorry sir," he said. "I can come back when you're free."

"Nonsense," Cornelius said. "I have some questions for you. Now you were there when Barty Crouch appeared, yes?"

"Yes, sir," Harry remained polite, but confused.

"Do you believe that Madam Maxime had anything to do with attacking the Durmstrang boy," the man asked.

"If she'd had, I'm sure that I'd have seen something," Harry said. "I don't think that she'd be someone hard to find, even if she'd been disguised in some fashion. As Professor Moody said in class, '_There's always something, that will give them away_', right sir?"

"Quite right," Moody said, pleased that his words were being quoted back to him.

"I'll escort you down to see Madam Maxime," Dumbledore said to the Minister of Magic. "I'll be right back Harry," he said. Then he cast a '_Curious Cat_' hex on the boy to ensure that the simple child would snoop within a certain, special cupboard.

Harry had felt the spell hit, but didn't know what it would do. He moved about the room and petted Fawkes the Headmaster's Phoenix. He felt the magical nudge to poke and prod about the contents of the room. He sighed and followed the sensation. It was obvious that the old man wanted him to act the Gryffindor, '_But why cast a spell to make me do so,_' he thought. He noticed that the spell wanted him to open the cupboard where he knew that the man's pensieve was hidden. '_Oh, not this again,_' he thought. '_What more could he want me to know?_'

He touched the surface with his finger and was pulled into a series of thoughts linked to the Death Eater trials that had happened, probably around the time he'd been placed safely away from the influence of the Wizarding World. '_This is hell,_' he thought. '_I figured that Bagman was a cheat of some kind, but seeing this he's really just an idiot. All his pushing about helping me and wondering how I feel and stuff, makes me wonder if he has placed wagers on me for the Triwizard Tournament._'

He watched as the final scene played out about his Potions Master's name was announced to the members of the Wizengamot that the man was in league with the Dark Lord. He looked to the Headmaster's image of himself and thought, '_There's something more about this situation. I wonder if Sirius knows about it._'

Harry then was pulled out of the memories, by the Headmaster of his school, and with an obviously false apology for not having closed the door to his cupboard properly.

"Do you have any questions about what you saw or something to tell me," the old man asked.

The young Gryffindor then did as he was supposed to. He asked about Snape and then told the old man about his scar hurting and part of what he'd heard in the dream, about a mistake being corrected.

"I believe that Voldemort might have inadvertently connected the two of you during that dark night when you lost your parents," Dumbledore told him with a sad and regretful expression. "When he's feeling especially violent, there's a chance that through the connection you have, you may feel it. I am sorry, young man. This is nothing more than supposition, but it should give you a place to start looking for answers." He twinkled at the Boy-Who-Lived, who felt the poke of someone prying into his mind.

Harry blanked his mind. He twisted his shadows and emotions to only reflect the here and now, but also to show his intent on telling his best friends.

"I trust that you'll use discretion when you talk to your friends," the Headmaster said with a twinkle in his eyes. "But rest assured that I'm confident in Severus' allegiances," the boy made a motion to question the old man, but was stopped. "Now leave it at that."

Harry nodded and after talking a bit about his feelings on the Tournament, among his class studies, he was finally permitted to leave the office. He wanted to go the library to look up the spell that the old man had used to augment his curiosity, but he knew that his friends would be seeking him out soon. So he let them find him and ply him with their questions.

Their attitudes were quite predictable. Ron squawked about the slimy Death Eater and snaky Slytherins, while Hermione was the voice of calmed reasoning, trusting the Headmaster to have good reasons for allowing Severus Snape to continue teaching impressionable children.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry had received an Owl from his godfather to meet up with him on the weekend just before the final task was to take place. He'd done his own private research into Godparent Magic and found that the man had been right. He could effectively '_share_' his responsibility with someone else, provided that, the '_someone_' else was agreeable to the idea.

He'd been spending more time preparing for the third task, but didn't negate his studies for the Canyon School. He'd just decided to use this time to figure out how to deploy nearly harmless arrows. He eventually found a balloon method that replaced the arrowheads with a small balloon that would burst on impact to release its content into the face or onto the body of his adversaries. It was easier than coating the arrows with poison.

He filled several balloons with muggle itching powder, since he'd never found an equivalent product in the Wizarding World just yet. He also used the concept of the muggle '_pepper spray_' and created a potion to act in the same manner with perhaps a slightly higher reactivity to those creatures sensitive to such. There were others that were meant to deal deadly blows or poisons to violent creatures, which judging from the size of Hagrid's remaining '_Blast-ended Screwts_', he wouldn't be surprised to see one or all end up in the maze of hedges.

But today was the day that he'd finally be able to talk to Remus Lupin and find out what the other man's opinion was on sharing Godparent Magic with Sirius. He'd researched it and found that if it was consensual between the godchild and the true godparent. Then chosen person, no matter of their social status or any unfortunate creature conditions would be permitted to enter into the ritual for this kind of obligation. There was no ruling in the Ministry of Magic against such a ritual nor was there anything against blood adoptions at this point in time either.

Harry was reading the papers that he'd subscribed to on a regular basis and found that the UK Ministry of Magic was slightly backwards in their attempts to stifle the people afflicted with the werewolf curse and others that they'd declared to be Dark '_Creatures_', rather than people with right of their own. He didn't like the proposals that were about to be brought up to the Wizengamot from some Ministry kiss butt, whose name he kept seeing in relation to the regulation of magical creatures or people of magical creature origins. It was some witch named Delores Umbridge. So he sincerely hoped that the ritual that Sirius wanted to do would ensure the Remus' safety for the time being.

He stopped at the local stores in Hogsmeade and picked up the last of his needed supplies for his Canyon School program. The goblin at the Gringotts Branch, who allowed Harry to call him by his name, Grubstone, had been able to obtain some true, unrefined silver and mithril ore.

"Ah, young sir," the goblin said, when he noticed that his client was patiently waiting for him to complete his primary task. "Please sit down, I have the land ownership papers drawn up for your MML project and once everything is signed, the building company you've selected will ensure that all buildings on the property are up to code and ready for occupation and use before you finish your fourth year at Hogwarts."

"Wonderful," Harry said. He read over the paperwork and signed where he needed to sign for the transaction to be complete. He wrote his name with a blood quill, as per the standard of contractual obligations between goblins and humans. He was grateful that the money he won during the Quidditch World Cup was enough to fully make the changes needed to the property and the land.

The land was an old muggle farm property that was being sold as commercial and residential property. Unfortunately the township's projection that the area would one day turn into a major city centre had failed. The projections had been based on a highway that had never been built or rather, it had been built the next county over. So the property was being sold, as is. It wasn't even close to any town on any current muggle map either.

Now all that was left to do was to ensure that the Marauder Mischief Lab was set up and properly stocked with items, objects, devices, potions ingredients and many other what-nots for the experimental geniuses that were Fred and George Weasley.

"Payment for the company is to come from the Stoneguard Bank, from the strongbox that contains my World Cup winnings," Harry said. "I'll have someone in place to oversee the satisfactory completion of the project. There must be an apparition point outside of the building," he said. "Make it a shaded, weather proof gazebo or something because I don't want any external access points inside of the place. It would be too dangerous and it's not like we'll have a receptionist or secretary there just yet. You can forward any structural plans to me and my partners."

Grubstone nodded and made notes, "What about Floo access?"

"Not inside the building," Harry said, looking over the property plans. "Is this an old granary, I see?"

"Yes," the goblin said. "It's been empty, but the foundation is strong. It will need a new roof though, if you plan to use it."

"Make that the Floo point," Harry said. "Create a fire-pit in the centre of it and have the Floo powder on a shelf or table by the entrance. There'd be only one way in, but that would make it easier monitor. It and the apparition point from the lab buildings should be monitored anyway."

"The old farmhouse is stable," Grubstone said. "We're taking down most of the walls, except for the bearing walls in order to change the floor plan and expand it, as requested. The basement will be item and ingredient storage only. Main floor will contain one full kitchen and two fully stocked potions laboratories. The upper floor will have the product research, an infirmary and the main library. The attic is being converted into a specialized library and office for management whenever you'll need it."

"That's good," Harry said. "What about the barn?"

"The floor will need to be redone, but the company will have it ready in time," Grubstone said. "It will be cut in half, with one section containing animal stalls and dens, the other will be set up with soundproofing walls and other structural protection. You'll need to go to the house-elf relocation centre to pick some that will oversee the cleanliness of the area and manage emergency protocols."

"Excellent," Harry said. He signed the construction contracts and said, "I'll have my supervising manager contact you in a few days. He'll oversee it all. We'll send you the list of people permitted access through Floo and the Apparition points in a few days."

"Very good young sir," Grubstone said. He tapped his finger on it, making the appropriate copies to be filed in different vaults and with the Ministry's Business Archives. "I wish you gold," he said when their business was concluded and the boy had packed away the precious ore.

"To you as well," Harry replied with a short bow of respect. He drank from a vial, making his scar disappear, lengthening his hair and altering his eye colour. He re-formed the frames of his glasses and then he left the bank. He made his way to the cave where his godfather was waiting for him with another his birth father's old school chums.

Harry was cautious as he made his way to the alley next to Dervish and Bangs. He exercised a lot of caution, but was finally able to see the crack in the side of the mountain, where the ex-con had stayed hidden.

He stepped through and was greeted with a, "Hello Harry," from his godfather, who hugged him, as soon as he stepped through the opening. "Look who found me," he pointed to the slumped man near the warm fire, set away from the carryall that his godson had given him. He'd packed the tent away, since the boy needed the place to set up his own.

Harry looked and smiled at the man that had taught him to cast the Patronus Charm in his third year. "Hallo Professor Lupin," he hitched his carryall higher on his shoulder and held out his hand for the man to shake. "How are you, sir?"

Remus was stunned that the youth truly wanted to know how he was. "I am well," he shook the boy's hand and asked, "How are you?"

"Well," Harry said. "All things considered, what with the last task coming up, then end of the school year, preparing for my summer classes and a few other things. I'm quite all right." He huffed and then turned to his godfather. "Did you ask him?"

"I did, but..." the man looked to his friend. "I think that the two of you need to talk. How about I set up your tent?"

"All right," Harry said and handed the man the container with his pup tent, from his carryall. "Just know that you won't be able to enter until I let you. It's part of the protections I have on it." He then sat down next to a man that looked beat down. His clothing wasn't any better than what he'd had last year at the school. "Professor Lupin?"

"Harry, please call me Remus," the man asked. "I'm not your Professor anymore."

"If you like, but your title of Professor still belongs to you, I know you still teach," Harry said. "Remus, what's the matter?"

The man turned sad eyes to him and said, "I know that I should have come forward a lot sooner, but I never thought that you'd reject me because I'm a werewolf."

"What are you talking about," Harry asked in a confused tone. "I haven't rejected you. I'm not the one that refused to open letters sent to me and then have them returned to sender with some kind of magical '_undeliverable_' stamp on them."

"I never received any letters from you," Remus replied in shock and his voice shaking. "My letters to you came back as '_undeliverable_' too."

"Well, I think our post has been messed with then," Harry said, convinced that he had an idea who it had been too. "Can I have them now?"

"Of course, if I can have the ones you attempted to send to me," Remus said with a genuinely happy look on his face. The man had been through quite a bit and was glad that the boy had not rejected him because of his creature status or the fright he may have had that night that they'd discovered Pettigrew.

"Sure," Harry said and then he looked to where his godfather had a wand out and was preparing to send a spell to the tent in order to get the item to let him in. "I wouldn't do that…," he started to say, but it was too late and the man was trussed up like an upside-down spool of wool.

"Sirius," Remus groaned. It was just like his friend to get caught in such a way. He watched with amusement as the Boy-Who-Lived, lectured the ex-con in a very funny way of saying '_I told you so_'. The werewolf then grinned because the boy was more like his mother than his father in this mode. "Harry, maybe you should let him down," he suggested. "He's liable to lose what's left of his brain cells."

"Hmph," Harry grumped in a teasing manner and released the spell that had effectively captured the trespasser. Then he picked up his carryall and said, "Yes well, I think we have a few important things to do before I have to head back to the school, this way Remus."

The boy crawled into his private tent and for the first time allowed other people to enter behind him. He'd discussed this with his portrait tutors and then agreed that it was a good plan. They'd then added the suggestion of blood adoption, which he'd looked up and thought that it might be a better plan than just the sharing Godparent Magic one, but he needed to bring it up to the two men first. He came prepared for that eventuality.

Harry took his sack to the smithing room, where he unloaded the ore he had received from the goblins. The men had followed him in and Remus asked, "What's all this?"

"It's a foundry room," Sirius said. "Obviously, Remmy, see here the forge and there's the smelting cairn."

"I can see that, but the question is more about why you have this here, Harry," the man turned to the young Gryffindor.

"It's for my summer studies," Harry said. "Come on to the library room, I have the letters that I tried to send you, bound in a book. You can take it with you."

Remus pulled out the packet of letters that he'd attempted to send the boy over the years, since the boy's first year actually. For the first and second year, they were only cards for his birthday and Christmas, but they were never received.

They watched as Harry took them all, hissed at them in the language of snakes. Their eyes widened at that, but they widened even more when the envelopes were disintegrated, but their contents whirled like a tornado coming together to form a scrapbook of letters, much like the one that Harry had just given Remus.

"There you go," he said and took the book he'd just created. He then opened it to a birthday card that said, '_Happy 11th Birthday_'. He blinked rapidly and quickly closed the book. He choked out a soft, "Thank you."

Remus put his hand on the boy's shoulder and said, "I really tried."

"I know," Harry said and hugged the man quickly, before letting him go. "I'll go make some tea and we can talk about the ritual we're going to do."

"Sirius," Remus asked in a tone that said he needed to know.

"He didn't have much," Sirius said, as he rubbed his shaggy hair. "I suspect a lot, but he hasn't talked about it. Sharing the Godparent Magic with you will protect him from further incidents, but..."

Remus nodded and questioned, "You believe that someone may interfere?"

"I think he suspects that too," Sirius said. They followed their noses to the kitchen area where they watched the boy put together some tea and sandwiches.

"Just a little something to fill our stomachs," Harry said.

Sirius looked around and had already noted that one door was shut from the several that he saw were open. He was curious, but didn't want to pry into it until the boy was ready to tell him about it.

Remus too was curious about the closed door, but he respected the boy's privacy. "There are different sharing rituals out there," he began. "Do you know which one you'd like to do?"

"I was thinking of Proprius Parens Deus," Sirius said. (...i...) "The additional conditions would be the same that James and Lily made me swear to, when I accepted the responsibility. It's the strongest one out there." The werewolf nodded and then they turned to the youth that had cleared his throat for their attention.

"I was thinking more along the lines of Propia Consentio Adoptum Sanguis," Harry said, as he sipped his tea to gauge their reactions. (...ii...) "There would be more protection with that ritual wouldn't there."

"You're right," Remus said. "But aren't you forgetting that I'm a werewolf. We aren't allowed to adopt children."

"You aren't allowed to adopt young children under the age of eight," Harry said. "There's no law in place yet about you ritually adopting someone over that age and who can consent to being adopted."

Remus blinked, since it was true. That law was in for consideration, but had not passed yet.

"I looked it up," Harry said. "Creature blood may transfer limited conditions, but it will also transfer immunity of the condition, if the condition was communicable."

"Meaning you could be bitten by a werewolf and never become one yourself, if you're blood adopted by Remus," Sirius said. "That's bloody brilliant." The boy only nodded and looked to the other man, who was sitting there shocked by the suggestion.

"I need a Regent," Harry said.

"What," Sirius asked.

"I need a Regent," Harry repeated. "I need someone to take over the Potter estates and look after them on my behalf. I want to be sure that everything that needed to be done had been done, management wise I mean. I need someone that I can trust to sit in at the Wizengamot and make the votes as my proxy while I'm still in school."

"What," Remus said. "They'd never..."

"There's no law against it," Harry pushed. "If you're my Regent, it means that you're acting on the behalf of the Potter Family and Interests, not your own. Although they may think that's the case whenever you vote against any additional werewolf law that confines you and others from earning an honest living or whatever else they may think to restrict you with is personal, which let's be honest it will be, but as my Regent you're obligated to tell me about and get my opinion anyway. They couldn't claim that I didn't know about it."

"Like the marriage and bonding laws against werewolves that someone is getting geared to present to the Wizengamot," Sirius said. "But you know that, if I were to adopt you too, that ritual would mean that you'd be bound to be the Head the Black Family too." He paused and then he grinned. "Oh, yeah, that'd put the burr under someone's seat."

"But we'd need to be bonded to adopt," Remus looked to his friend. "Sirius, you know I love you with all your faults, but really not in the happily ever after way."

"Likewise," Sirius said. "You're more my brother than anything else, but then how..."

"You do two rituals," Harry said. "You do the Godparent Magic one and then you both do the blood adoption, one at a time, with no obligation to be joined in some happily wedded after thing."

"You can't do two rituals like this," Remus said. "It will be too taxing on the both of us."

"Actually it will be more taxing to you," Harry said. "The Godparent Ritual will between you and Sirius alone, I have no participation in it, other than to be present. The other ritual will have to be one on one with me accepting each of you in a parental role separately. The underlying '_shared_' bond that you two will have will conform to the Godparent Magic first and then to the parental obligations second, although everything will be more legally secured with the second ritual."

"Where's the young fourteen year old and what have you done with him," Sirius asked.

The boy only shrugged and said, "I have my tutors to thank for that."

"Speaking of," Sirius said. "When can we meet them?"

"Only after the ritual or rituals are done," Harry said and turned to Remus. "The binding allegiance is important. The choices are for the both of you, but unfortunately, I think and believe that doing anything after the third task will be too late."

"We'll need to confer on this," Remus said. "I'd also like to look over the rituals."

"I'll get the books," Harry said, leaving the two of them to discuss it.

"Sirius, are you sure about this," Remus asked. "Once done, it cannot be undone."

"I'm sure," the ex-con said. "This will give you something to do, while we figure out the '_objects_' that the Dark Idiot used. You heard him. The Potter Family needs a reliable Regent and he hasn't got one. Plus the question I have is who has been using the Potter Family votes?"

"But..."

"Remus," Sirius turned to his friend. "James and Lily had wanted to make you his second godfather from the beginning, but that shit law was passed and you couldn't. This is your one chance to get it right and be the godfather you were supposed to be, before some other law prevents you from doing any good in his life. Also you know that the Wizengamot cannot hold votes for legislation on a full moon because it's been written in the laws for a time when werewolves were respected members of our society."

Remus put his head down and sighed. His friend had explained some about the situation that young Harry was involved in. It was true that he'd wanted to have more contact the boy, but he knew that the Headmaster wouldn't approve.

That's why his only tried with birthday and Christmas cards. He'd felt rejected when they came back and his suspicions were now surfacing. '_Why keep the boy away from me,_' he thought. '_Why make the boy live without contact from Sirius and others that knew his parents._'

He nodded his head and said, "I must begin to do things right. I will do it right by the souls of James and Lily or else I'd rather condemned to death."

"I wouldn't want you to do anything that extreme," Harry said, as he came back into the room with the books that contained the rituals' details. "Just make sure that no more laws can come into effect, which can bite you in the ass."

"Harry," Sirius said with laughter in his voice. "How do you think we should do this?"

"Remus will have to meditate and choose his allegiance first or else the Godparent Magic might hurt him when it does the judgement part," Harry said. "Then you do the blood adoption first, Sirius, so that when Remus is ready, he can blood adopt me too. I'll get two living parents and someone I trust to take on the Wizengamot with votes."

"Remus," Sirius asked and then he noticed the yellow gleam in the other man's eyes. "Oooh, Moony wants to come out a play, doesn't he?"

"He wants to kill that Umbridge woman," Remus nodded. "But we'll settle for blood adoption and responsibility for a young cub."

"Just don't say that I can't return to my summer school, okay," Harry said. "I'd rather go there then be forced back to the Dursleys. I promise to let you know the truth about it."

"We understand," Sirius said, as he gave Remus a pointed look. "But once the rituals are done, can we finally learn where it is your going in the summer or who your special tutors are?"

"_Hai, hai,_" Harry said with a nod, answering in an Asian language and surprising the two men, as he prepared the ritual items for the three rituals that were about to be performed.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**

(...i...) Permanent God Parent - used www dot latinwordtranslation dot com/ default dot asp (remove the spaces and change the dots to look up the dictionary)

(...ii...) Permanent Consenting Blood Adoption (made up format) - based on help from - www dot latinwordtranslation dot com/ default dot asp (remove the spaces and change the dots to look up the dictionary)


	16. Chapter 16

**CH 16**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

On the day of the third task the families of the Champions arrived to spend the better part of the day with them. Instinctively, Harry knew that his godfather, Sirius, wouldn't be there and some part of him that still feared that he wasn't wanted also meant that Remus wouldn't show up.

However in the room where the other parents were waiting Harry's eyes lit up at the sight of one of his new fathers. Remus was there standing next to Mrs. Weasley, looking better than he ever did, in new robes to suit his station as Regent to the Potter and Black Heir. It looked like Mrs. Weasley and Bill had come here on his be-half too, although Bill was busy in another part of the room chatting up Fleur and meeting her family.

"Remus," he said with a large happy, child like grin on his face. It was the first of its kind that Mrs. Weasley had ever seen. He walked over to them quickly and hugged the man, scenting him with a rub of his nose into the man's chest, as he felt the man push his nose into his rats nest like hair for a sniff of his own. After they let go, he looked to the Mrs. Weasley and said, "Thank you for coming."

"No worries young man," she said with open arms. "I want a hug of my own." As soon as she had wrapped her arms around him, he felt the difference between family and chosen family…there was none, so he just accepted the affection. "Now, I want you to tell me about your studies and such."

Harry laughed and then led them about the school telling them both about bits and pieces of his adventures. He took them back to the meeting room and left them there when he had to go get ready for the last task of the tournament. The '_parents_' were guided to the stadium stands to wait with the rest of the invited guests.

He walked up to his private closet and tent, where he took a quick shower to wash all the scent away from his body. He used a personal lotion spray to mask all of his natural scent. It was one that he'd researched, altering one that created scent for the purpose of using it during the third. He called it the _Anti-Perfume Potion_. This was after he found out about the maze that they'd have to go through in order to complete the tournament.

He glanced in the direction of the doorway to his ritual room and smiled at the thought of the only rituals that had ever been done in it.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

FLASHBACK

The ritual where Sirius added Remus to the Godparent Magic bond he had with Harry was done fairly quickly. A few words and an oath to the child was all that was needed. The same words and conditions were accepted and Remus felt the difference in relation to the oaths he'd declared in the past. He knew that he had instant loyalty to his old friend and it was stronger than any feeling that he felt he '_owed_' to some other people. The oath to the child was simple and as long as he let his inner wolf acknowledge the boy as a cub of his pack, then everything was accepted by the magic that bound them as Godparent and Godchild.

The blood adoption ritual was different. There had been more steps to it, more of an exchange occurred with the blood and acceptance for all that they are. Minor physical changes were the accepted norm when young children are adopted, but in Harry's case he gained something else from his adopting parents, since he was too old for many physical changes to occur. It was something extremely useful anyway, since magic itself was involved. The factors were normally random, but they could be guided with an additional rune or two to the larger ritual circle required for the child or receiver.

Harry made the larger circles, since he was going to be the recipient. A smaller circle had to be drawn, joining the larger in a small over lapping, touching way and were always drawn by the prospective parents. Since, in this case, the parents were not bonded in matrimony two separate adoptions were taking place and that meant two sets of ritual circles needed to be drawn by him.

His ritual room was large enough to make the two sets of ritual circles required. His multi-casting ability enabled him to do the two larger circles at the same time much to the surprise of the men in the room, guiding chalk to only one small ritual circle.

"Would you look at that," Sirius said, as the rune markings formed from the squeaking chalk pieces that were guided to draw specific patterns. "You've got your Mother's gift."

"What," Harry said, as the chalks paused when his concentration shifted.

"Your Mother had that ability," Remus explained, after cuffing the back of his friend's head for breaking the young Gryffindor's concentration. "She didn't let everyone know that she could multi-cast because it was an advantage to keep such a thing secret, especially with the growing conflict."

"Do your friends know about it," Sirius asked.

"No," Harry said and returned his efforts towards drawing the circles he needed to use in order to receive gifts from the adopting parents.

The circle attached to Sirius' had additional runes for gifts in the Mind Arts. The man agreed that any additional help in that quarter would better protect the young man. The man recommended two additional runes to be added to the conditions for the Mind Arts and said that they were only enhancers to each skill of Occlumency and Legilimency.

The circle attached to Remus' had additional runes for gifts of the Werewolf. They had talked it over and the boy had found that the man had constant gifts from the wolf, like an enhanced sense of smell and physical strength. Harry wanted those too and argued that it would make him feel closer to the man, which was what allowed the werewolf to fully accept the boy as a cub of his pack.

Harry had prepared the Adoption Potion just in case the men had accepted and had told them, "It was better to be prepared for a yes with the potion ready," he said. "Rather than have to make the potion and wait until it was ready to be used. It would have taken too long and I'd have been late back to school. This way we would still have time to go to see the Gringotts representative in Hogsmeade and pay him to file the paperwork for us."

"What if we'd said no," Sirius asked the difficult question.

"I may have had my hopes dashed," Harry said with a rueful smile. "But I would have understood your reasons. However you'd have had less of say in what I do, as well."

"Now you know we won't try to confine you," Remus said. "But once all is said and done, we do want to know what your future plans are."

"Understood," Harry said.

The rituals had then taken place and once the two were done, he'd needed to sleep, but before that, he demanded wand-oaths from the both of them to never reveal his private activities to anyone, not even the Headmaster or the Ministry of Magic, unless he gave them leave to do so.

"It's too important," he explained. "The different prophecies made by other magical races can't get out to them or else they'd do their level best to try and control me through either of you."

The men looked at one another and wondered just who was the adult here. But they agreed and gave their oaths. Sirius explained what he knew about the prophecies to his old friend and then Harry finally introduced them to his thread-born teachers.

He opened the door that had been closed when they first entered the tent. "Fathers," he said and received a couple of goofy grins in his direction. "May I present my private teachers, Tiber Septim, who you probably know better as Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff and Godric Gryffindor." He snickered at the gob-smacked expressions. "My precious tutors, may I present my new parents, Sirius Black the Third and Remus John Lupin."

"The Third," Sirius barked out. "What?"

"I looked it up," Harry said. "You're the third man in your family to carry the name Sirius."

"Why you," Sirius noogied the boy's head and pushed him off the washroom. "Go shower and have a nap, pup." He said, "We need to talk to your elders here."

Harry nodded and received a hug from his other parent, before he allowed himself to be nudged in the direction of the bathing room. The ritual was messy and it had to be done naked on his part because of the potion he used. It was a symbolic ritual too, indicating birth and all the messiness involved. The other men were only in a pair of natural cloth drawstring pants. They had potion and blood on their upper bodies, but they'd agreed that the boy needed the chance to clean up first.

The two men then turned to the portraits to just learn how long the boy had access to the greatest minds of the age, when wand wavers were just emerging from the population of magical humans.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

FLASH FORWARD

Harry grinned and stood before his portrait tutors. He turned around when bid to do so and asked, "Well…do I look like I'm ready?"

"Of course you look ready," Godric said. "Only wish you can use my sword again. I'd feel better about that."

"I can't," Harry said. "The Headmaster has it locked up in his office. Besides I have two of mine prepared and broken in for the task." He point to the two at his hips. He had several pouches that contained healing potions and potions to bring his energy levels back up. He even had a couple of potions that will '_Fortify_' his magical reserves, in case he gets magically exhausted during the task.

"You're using the new leather armour," Tiber said. "You did break it in, right?"

"Of course," Harry said. "I used conjured creatures to practice '_Hand-to-Hand_' fighting with. I figured that's a Skill I should work on whenever I can and the moves required allowed me to break in the leathers, so that they're not stiff, see." He did a handstand and a few flips about the room to show them.

"All right, that's enough," Rowena said. "Use your bow when you can too and you'd better come back as soon as you can."

"We'll be visiting the portraits in the area, so we'll know when you get back in the school," Helga said.

Harry strapped on his quiver with special arrow tips of exploding potions and powder. As soon as he was set, he bowed properly to his tutors, since the women had been instructing him in etiquette, and left the room.

"I hope he comes back safely," Helga said. She had a soft spot for him. They all did because they knew how hard he worked.

The youngest Triwizard Champion arrived at the entrance of the maze at the same time as the others. His armed appearance was not so much a surprise, as the other three had followed his lead and found that they could arm themselves if they wanted to.

Fleur had chosen to wear a tight fitting garment under a set of battle robes that were fastened tightly on her upper torso and loose in the arms for movements. The robes didn't reach the ground, but that was the standard for battle robes. At her hip there was a coil of rope and a truncheon with ribs of some metallic substance around the top of it.

Viktor was dressed in his regular robes, but he had a large spiked mace carried over one of his shoulders. He looked more warrior, like in that pose.

Cedric was in a set of battle robes too, but he didn't look too comfortable in them and at his hip he had a small sword and a set of bracers on his forearms securing his robe sleeves. The sleeves of his robe were tight like the upper torso of the robes, but the bottom of his robes, were opened and only down to his shins.

Harry was the only one without robes of any kind on his body with a quiver of arrows at his back and two swords at his sides. He stood straight and waited with the rest for the conditions of the last task to be explained to them.

"All right," Ludo Bagman announced. "It's time for the third task. Since Cedric and Harry are tied for first they will enter the maze at the same time, followed by Viktor in ten minutes and then Fleur an additional ten minutes later. Understood?"

The Champions nodded their heads and the man then said, "On your mark, get set…" The firecrackers exploded as he yelled the word. "Go!"

Harry and Cedric entered the maze together, but set off on different paths at the first intersection they came to. The Gryffindor went left while the Hufflepuff chose the right path.

Harry round a corner and frowned as the running commentary told everyone his actions. He shook his head and hissed, (…Obscura Totalus…)

The spell hid his future actions and his general location in a grey foggy cloud about fifty feet in diameter. He then hissed at a piece of scrolled parchment paper, (…Map Hedge Maze, half foot, front, right…).

This caused the map to levitate half a foot in front of his and to his right. He had already figured that there would creatures in the maze, which is why he masked his scent with a potion, but the potion worked better, if he covered himself with the scent of his ambient environment too. So he stepped into a hedge and spun about in order to get the scent of the hedge on him. He then cancelled his weak '_Lumos_' from the end of his wand to cast a better version.

(…Lumos…) He hissed in Parseltongue, calling forth a familiar bubble of magical light. He hissed instructions at it, (…Follow one foot up and back, left…) The instructions caused the bubble of light to follow him, a foot over his head and one foot behind on his left side, away from his physical position. He chose to walk quickly in one direction avoiding the obvious dead-ends, as indicated by faded outlines on his map.

He heard a noise behind him, so he whirled with is wand at the ready. It was only Cedric, but that didn't mean that the older boy should be ignored. This was a competition after all. However the older youth shook his smoking robes to put out their singed edges and explained, "Hagrid's Screwts are in here and they're huge."

"Thanks," Harry said and then he took off in the direction his map indicated, what looked like the best path to take from that point. He encountered some kind of golden cloud, when he heard Fleur yell some things in French. A whip was cracked several times, until he heard her scream, as though she was being tortured.

"Fleur," he yelled and then stepped into the mist. His world tilted, but he immediately said, (…Securitas…), securing all of his belongings to him. He only lost an arrow to gravity. He walked a few steps further and then his world righted again.

'_That was weird and cool at the same time,_' he thought. '_The twins could make that into some kind of joke item, I'm sure._'

He couldn't find the girl from Beauxbatons, so he continued on using his map. He avoided several more dead-ends and then came to a clearing and face to face Blast-Ended Screwt. The Hufflepuff had been right, that thing was huge! Ten feet long, at least, and it looked like a giant scorpion with a sting curled over it's back. Its thick armoured carapace glinted in the light of the bubble following Harry around.

He calculated everything he knew about it and then rolled out of the fire, blasting end. He cast the Destruction spell '_Snowball_' in bursts, which caused them to have a higher intensity. It didn't like the cold nor did it appreciate being pelted with arrows that wedged between the armour plating of is bone shell. They burst with some kind of liquid that burned. The liquid was just a plain alcohol and camphor, based recipe with mint to cool it even more. It produced a chilling sensation on impact to humans, but this with the combination of the ice destruction spell, burned the strange hybrid creature.

Harry kept it up until the creature was complete immobilized in a block of ice. He used his swords, quickly and efficiently to kill it and then to sever the tail from the main body. He hacked the body into portable parts, which he quickly stashed in a large capacity bag that he'd brought along for that purpose. The creature was his kill so he needed to take it away before someone else came along to claim it. As soon as he was done, he moved away from that area.

'_I should have studied the spells for dissecting bugs, like Helga had suggested when I studied Alchemy with her,_' he thought. '_That would have taken less time._' He moved to another section of the maze and the only thing that the spectators in the crowd could see was that he was somewhere inside a fifty foot cloud of grey.

He then heard Cedric yell, "What are you doing?" This was followed by the teen's agonizing screams.

(…Flare…) Harry hissed, creating a hole in the hedge. He jumped through the hole and saw that Viktor Krum had his wand trained on Diggory.

(…Stupefy…) he said. It was a spell that resulted in disarming him opponent as well as stunning them, when spoken in the snake-language. The Durmstrang youth was knocked unconscious by it.

"Are you all right," Harry asked, as he helped the other Hogwarts Champion up.

"Yeah," Cedric gasped and then asked, "Did you hear Fleur's scream earlier?"

"Yeah," Harry said and looked at Viktor's face. He had whip marks on it and his arms. "I also heard the whip crack before she screamed too. Looks like she got him good."

"You're right," Cedric finished catching his breath and then asked, "How long will he be out?"

Harry place Durmstrang youth's wand next to the boy and sent up red sparks, before he replied, "Long enough!" He chuckled and then said, "I have to leave the area in order for help to find him."

They both heard Ludo beg over the commentary he was giving, "Come on Harry, please drop the fog. Well, folks it looks like three of the Champions have met up in the maze, but I can't tell you if they're hexing each other or helping on another!"

"Later," Harry said and took off in another likely direction towards the centre of the maze, while the other youth took off in another. The competition now seemed to be one of House against House for the Hogwarts School.

They had started going through the maze at dusk, but the sun was going down faster now. His trusty little light bubble seemed brighter and still followed him faithfully. After a few more twists and turns, he found himself walking along a fairly long part of the hedge's row. He saw movement ahead of him, when his light revealed a creature of muggle myth and one that he'd only ever seen a picture of in his Monster Book of Monsters.

It was a Sphinx. It had the large body of a lion, but the head, upper torso and features of a beautiful woman. She was pacing side to side at the end of the long row, blocking the path beyond her.

He knew to be polite to any creature he encountered with human features. It wouldn't do to offend them. The Sphinx kept pacing and didn't notice him until his light was about ten yards away. He'd clearly startled her.

"Hello," he said politely.

She blinked and said in a low rumbling voice, "Hello young human," she leaned down to sniff at him and said, "You don't smell human." She blinked several times, as though to process this interesting information. The boy still only smelled of the hedge and then she said, "You're goal is just beyond this point."

"Thank you," Harry replied and then moved in that direction, when his way was suddenly, blocked by a huge paw.

"You may smell of the hedge," she growled. "But if you refuse my challenge you will die."

He only shrugged, as though to indicate that he had to try bypassing her, especially since she seemed conflicted by his presence or lack of human scent. "What challenge, then?"

"Answer my riddle on your first guess," she said. "Rightly you pass, wrongly you die, agreed."

"Understood," Harry said and then he sat down at the creature's feet. He took a few deep breaths, looked at her and said, "Ready."

She sat on her hind legs. She was still confused. However she eventually recited her riddle:

…_First think of the person who lives in disguise,_

_Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies._

_Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend,_

_The middle of middle and end of the end?_

_And finally give me the sound often heard_

_During the search for a hard-to-find word._

_Now string them together, and answer me this,_

Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?…

Harry nodded and then he studied each word and phrase like Rowena had taught him, when they played a game called '_Riddles_' (…i…). It was, but a moment for him to formulate the following clues, '_Spy_', '_ddd_', and '_er_'. He looked up at the creature and said, "Spider."

He shuddered, remembering the acromantulas from his second year of school. "I definitely wouldn't want to kiss one of those," he said. "I've seen big ones."

"Neither would I," the Sphinx said with a shudder and a yawn, as though she was bored again.

"Um, ma'am," Harry said. It was a rare opportunity and even though he was a Gryffindor, he still was hesitant. "I was wondering, that is, if you wouldn't mind, I mean I don't wish to impose or be offensive, but I was wondering…um…if you'd…um…allow me to harvest a few potions ingredients from your fur and maybe a couple of nail clippings." He pushed out his request.

The Sphinx looked amused and it wasn't something that a child had ever asked of her before. She just said, "For the answer to another riddle, yes."

Harry smiled and nodded his agreement. "Is it my turn to ask the riddle?"

"You may," she said.

They played the game of Riddles, as he harvested willingly given fur from her mane and tail. Helga would have killed him if he had taken the opportunity that had been presented to him to get animal ingredients from the creatures that were potentially going to be part of the maze. He'd been told to treat the maze task, the same as his summer adventure as a chance to supplement is Alchemical supplies.

He'd even been able to harvest small clippings from her back and front paws and was permitted to take two four inch vials of willingly given blood, something that was very rare and hard for Potions Masters to even obtain, before he chose to continue on his way to the centre of the maze.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**

(...i...) Believe it or not, I found an old catelogue from the late eighteen hundreds that sold a book called Riddles. It was advertised under a category called, '_Parlour Games_'.


	17. Chapter 17

**CH 17**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry finally made it to the centre of the hedge maze. The Hufflepuff wasn't that far behind him. He took a few moments to breathe, which allowed the old youth to pass him. He ran after the taller student and hoped to catch up, when a leaping shadow caught his attention. "Cedric," he yelled. "Look out!"

Cedric ducked so quickly that he lost his wand in the process. He found himself facing a huge spider.

Harry cursed at himself for having forgotten about Hagrid's fondness for the giant arachnids. He saw the other boy take out the sword he'd been carrying, but it was painfully obvious that the teen wasn't practised in the use of it. '_All show,_' he thought. '_They were all with other weapons to show off or maybe intimidate the others, only Fleur used hers that I know of and Viktor didn't have his mace with him when we last saw him either._'

(…Immobulus, shrink, jar, store…) He hissed the words in rapid succession. His magical intent was carried out. The over-sized bug froze in place, shrank in size, a lidded jar appeared to have been conjured, the tiny spider floated into it, the cap with holes in the top was twisted onto the jar and the jar was put away in one of the pouches at Harry's belt.

"Thanks," Cedric said. "That was brilliant. What was that spell?"

"I don't know," Harry said with a shrug. "A magical bug catcher or something," he took his floating map in hand and hissed (…Chart topographical centre maze coordinates…) The map was stamped the longitude and latitude coordinates for the centre of the hedge maze. He then looked up and saw that the older teen hadn't taken the cup, yet. "Why didn't you take it?"

Cedric huffed and said, "I was getting my wand." He held it up and waved it. "Besides you deserve the cup."

"Deserve has nothing to do with it," Harry said and approached the cup. The Hufflefpuff copied his approach. "You'd have been within your rights to take it, you were here first."

"I couldn't do that," Cedric argued. "You saved my life and deserve the cup." The argument had just begun and it carried on for a bit until the Gryffindor had an idea.

"How about we both take it," he suggested. "It'll still be a win for Hogwarts."

Cedric liked the idea and said, "On three." He received a nod. "All right then, one…two…three…"

As soon as both teens had barely touched the cup, they were whisked away from the school grounds to a distant location. They'd experienced this sensation at the end of summer when they were ported out to the Quidditch World Cup grounds. This time they were taken to a more sinister location.

Harry was quick witted about it, recalling the Prophesies, he knew he should to stay behind to see what this was all about. But he had to get rid of any collateral damage and believed that he really didn't want to stay here either.

"Sorry," he said to the older teen and stupefied him with the same spell that he'd used on Krum. (…Accio cup, reverso portus, twenty-second activation…) He put the cup in the older boy's hands and looked around to see if anything was missing. He was about to touch the cup when he heard.

"Immobulus," a voice said.

Harry was stuck in a reaching down position. He watched the older boy's body get ported away twenty seconds after the cup was in his hands. The Boy-Who-Lived immediately undid the charm that held him with a hiss (…Finite…) He fell to the ground and then heard.

"We need him alive Pettigrew," the voice said.

Harry tried to look around, but he'd accidentally _Finited_ his bubble light too. He was stupefied in his sudden blindness and the pressing pain that was growing in his head made it difficult for him to concentrate. When he came to, he cursed his stupidity. He was tied to the headstone of some grave.

Looking around he noticed that he was in a graveyard quite like the one he'd seen in his dream when he'd witnessed the death of the old muggle man. He pulled up all the Occlumency ability he could to drive the pain from his thoughts.

"You," he hissed in recognition of the man that was putting together a vile looking concoction in the biggest cauldron that he'd ever seen. The pain in his head increased again, but he strengthened his shields to push the pressure away. "You moron what are you doing?"

"You'll see," Pettigrew said. He then performed the ritual of resurrection, using the bone of the father, blood of the enemy and a sacrifice of the willing.

Harry was horrified by everything that he was seeing. The Dark Lord's resurrection was nothing that he'd ever have wanted to witness, but he observed everything, much in the way that the portraits had taught him. It wasn't time to play the innocent schoolboy. He needed to remain alive in order to see that the evil coming back before his eyes was vanquished quickly.

However he was stuck in place as the snivelling rodent, robed a man-like creature that rose from the liquid in the cauldron. He looked around and noticed that they hadn't even taken his swords from his. He looked at them and knew that he'd use them when he had the chance. '_At least my map has the coordinates to the maze,_' he thought. '_But I have to be able to pull it out and use it._' He looked at Pettigrew and knew that he'd do his best to capture that man in order to free his godfather. '_I have to,_' he thought. '_I need him to be free._'

Harry half paid attention to how the Dark Lord summoned his followers. He was disgusted with the level of humiliation that prominent magical Families were putting up with, debasing themselves before a creature that could not even be called a man.

He watched, putting his horrified emotions away, as the Dark Idiot rambled and then used the Cruciatus Curse on his followers just because he was displeased. He watched at the Dark Idiot made a completely silver hand for the follower that had aided in his resurrection. He knew then that the short, fat man would use that on his one time friend, Remus Lupin.

The rat snivelled and scurried after the bottom of his Master's robes, exclaiming, "Thanks", and "Thank you Master."

The Dark Idiot then revealed and named his followers, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, MacNair, he named the Lestranges that were still in prison. He told the Death Eaters the story of his attempts to regain his power and he crucioed Harry, as the boy was still tied to the tombstone.

"Untie him," the Dark Lord said. "We shall see who is truly more powerful," he said. "Just a little longer Nagini," he said to his snake. "Give him back his wand."

Harry was only slumped on the stone marker. He glared at the rat-man and when he was free to speak he said, "You'll die tonight as you should have died all those years ago."

"Don't think you're better than me," Wormtail said. "Your father was always Lording his status. He picked on those weaker than him, did you know that. He was a cowardly bully hiding behind some Gryffindor ideology. Always poked fun at the wrong times, humiliation was the always result. I picked the winning side this time." He spat on the boy, who only looked furious.

Harry had his wand in hand now and allowed the Dark Lord to mock him. Make him play the puppet for a sham show of power to his Death Eaters. '_Pathetic much_,' he thought in the slang of his Canyon School chums. '_He's going down and he doesn't even know it yet._'

He was crucioed again and this time the Dark Lord used the Imperio Curse to bend the boy to his will. "Do you want me to do it again?"

"You can do what you like, you pathetic piece of scum," Harry retorted, not having been affected by the Imperio Curse at all.

He dove out of the way, in the direction of the hissing that he'd heard. He conjured his favourite wand movement, practicing tool and directed his magic at the metal and sharpened device. He coated it in a poison that he'd created with basilisk venom. He directed it with a low hiss that even the Dark Lord didn't catch because the man was too busy speaking loudly to his followers. Then he turned his attention to the Dark Lord, as he let his magic seek out the snake to kill her.

Harry was more than ready now. He rolled out of the way and heard the Death Eaters laugh when the Dark Lord said, "We're not playing hide and seek boy!" He steps indicated that he was approaching. "Come out, come out wherever you are. You know it won't be painful, but then again I wouldn't know since I never died. I am immortal!"

The Boy-Who-Lived tracked Pettigrew and hissed softly (…Stupefy…) He gained the wand of the rat and watch the man fall to the ground behind the other Death Eaters. He was ready now. He stood tall from behind the gravestone. "No more need to avoid you," Harry said. "My marks are made and you will fail like you always do, Tom Marvolo Riddle!"

"Avada Kadavra," the Dark Lord shouted in his rage, that his true name was told to all of the Death Eaters present.

"Expelliarmus," Harry shouted at the same time. He cried out in pain as the metal wand, pierced the snake through its eye and into the brain, killing it instantly. The Dark Lord did not notice the demise of his pet snake, yet, only that the boy was in pain.

A strange thing then occurred as the magic of the two wands met. Their bodies were raised from their position among the graves only to be transported into the clearing where Harry and Cedric had arrived. A beam of light connected the two wands. The light was not the colour of their spells, but gold and the magic vibrated in the air.

A cage of golden light formed around the two of them, as the Death Eaters panicked and circled golden cage. "DO NOTHING," the Dark Lord screamed at them. They noticed that their leader was not in a good position. "Do nothing, obey me at once."

Harry concentrated and followed his instinct. '_Don't break the connection,_' he thought. '_I will not break the connection._'

Horror upon horrors, the light in the middle was being pushed to his wand. '_Oh no you don't,_' Harry thought. He pushed against the power of the Dark Lord and eventually he won. The light went back into the creature's wand and he noticed something coming from the tip of the Dark Lord's wand. The head and chest of the old man came out, followed by a witch, whom Harry assumed had been Bertha Jorkins.

Another man came out and he knew this man only from dreams. "Hold on son," the man said. "Your mother is coming, she wants to see you."

Not long after a woman came out and Harry was confused. His father had been killed before his mother, hadn't he? Then he thought of Pettigrew and wondered, '_How did the Dark Idiot get his wand back so quickly?_' The implications of that were nearly too much, but he held on.

"Oh Harry, we saw everything," the young woman said. "I approve of all of it, but…"

"Son," the ghost of his father said. "Where's the portkey?"

"I sent it away," Harry said. "I have another method of travel ready. Just tell me what to do?"

"You do," his mother said. "Oh, you clever boy."

"Well, well," his father said with a proud grin on his face. "Be ready then." The boy could only nod as sweat poured down from his efforts to maintain the light. He noticed how the ghosts harassed the snake-face looking man. He couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face. He concentrated on holding their connected wands, while his other hand sought something in one of the pouches at his waist.

"Be ready," his father said. "Do it…"

"Do it now," his mother yelled. "NOW!"

Harry wrenched his wand up and snapped the connection. (…Accio Pettigrew's Body…) The rat-man's unconscious form zipped towards him, banging against a few headstones, as he ran to escape the Death Eater's sudden attacks. As soon as the man's body was within reach, he pounce on it, and activated the _Fast-Travel_ ability that he'd gained this past summer by clenching the map he'd made in his fist. He focussed on the last coordinates that he'd seen and was whisked back to the centre of the hedge maze.

Harry rolled up in a crouched position, but there was only himself and the banged up body of Peter Pettigrew. Multiple voices sounded and feet hurried in his direction. (…Sonorus…) He hissed and then said, "Stay back. I need the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement here right now."

He cancelled the increased voice charm and waited for the person in charge. Dumbledore didn't stay back and neither did the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. Amelia Bones and a half dozen Aurors came as well, since the Boy-Who-Lived had asked for them.

"What do you need young man," she asked.

"Are you in charge of Magical Law," he asked and received a positive response. "Identify this man," he pointed to the bleeding body of an obvious Death Eater based on his exposed arm, from when the Dark Lord hand used it to summon his followers. "Please ma'am," he asked politely. "It's important to me."

"All right," she said. "Cognoscerus sit," she said. Many gasped as the name appeared for all to see.

…_Peter Pettigrew_…

"But," Madam Bones then shook her head and said, "Take this man into custody. Obviously something is wrong here."

"Beware," Harry said. "He's an unregistered Animagus, a Rat actually and he was the true Secret Keeper of my parents' hideout."

Madam Bones said, "But Sirius confessed."

Harry shook his head and said, "Sirius never had a trial."

"Well," she said in tone that indicated she was furious. "We'll just see about that." She nodded to her trusted Aurors and they left with the man. "He will be interrogated thoroughly and if that is the case, then the orders against Sirius Black will be revoked. He will have to come in for a true trial though, if it's been proved that he was sent to prison without one."

"Yes ma'am," Harry said. He watched as she walked away and he had hope. Slim hope, but hope anyway that something good would come of the events of this night.

"What happened young Harry," Cornelius asked.

"The Dark Lord resurrected himself with the aid of Pettigrew and someone here at the school," Harry said. "Someone he claimed that had returned to his _fold_, during the summer and proved his _worthiness_ by placing me in a position to bring that Dark Idiot back." He glared at basically everyone because he was overwhelmed and pissed off.

"You're tired, you should rest," Cornelius said in a panicky tone. He hoped to defuse the information right away. "This adventure might have been too much for you, you should get medially checked out."

"Do not treat me like a child," Harry said. "You made me participate in this tournament with adults and therefore you deemed me to be adult enough to participate. Do not make me out to be insane either Minister Fudge! I'm quite willing to take Veritaserum in order to defend my honour. Do you hear me? I watched that _thing_ get resurrected and I will not have you declaring otherwise or a duel of honour will be required to settle the matter."

"Really Harry," Dumbledore said. "That's quite enough. Moody why don't you take him, back to the castle?"

"No thanks," Harry said. "I'll go sit with Remus and watch the closing ceremony. Diggory came back right? He won, right?"

"Yes, Cedric did come back and he did win," the Headmaster said, as though he'd been hoping that Harry had actually been the winner. "He's with his father at the moment. We'll call the Champions to the podiums soon."

"Ah good," Harry said. "I'm so glad that it wasn't me." He started to walk over to the stands where he saw his adopted Father, but his arm was tugged. His Defence Professor pulled him in the direction of the school. "Sir?" He asked. "What is it?"

"Dumbledore wants me to take your statement," the man said, as he dragged the boy away.

Harry sent a confused look to his father, Remus, and motioned his head in such a way that the werewolf stood up from the stands and followed them. The Boy-Who-Lived had long since learned his lesson about Defence Professors. Right now he didn't trust the fact that Professor Moody was taking him away from where he wanted to be, but he was curious about why there was such a rush for a debrief of this nature when it could have waited.

The young Gryffindor knew when to act panicky and confused. It wasn't that difficult when he'd seen the ghosts of his parents emerge from the wand of his enemy. A cool drink was push into his hand and he sipped the cooling liquid.

Questions were asked, which he answered almost without control. He frowned at that and thought, '_Why'd Prof. Moody drug me_.' He shrugged and answered a few more questions, but he slipped his hand in one of his pouches, pulled out a tiny vial of liquid and sipped it at the same time he took another sip of the liquid.

He'd already found an antidote to truth serums, since his Professor Snape had threatened him with something like it earlier in the year. '_Enough of this,_' he thought. '_I know that Moony is recording all of the questions since I can smell that he's nearby._'

"And the Death Eaters," Moody asked. "Did they return?"

"Yes," Harry replied.

"How did he treat them?" Moody asked. "Did he forgive them?"

Harry frowned and then asked a question of his own. "Why do you want to know this? I'd like to return to the ceremony."

"I'm sorry, but you can't do that," Moody said.

"Why not," Harry said. He stood up to go and said, "I have to warn Dumbledore."

"What about," Moody asked.

"There's a Death Eater in the school," Harry said. Since he took the antidote, he figured there was no use in pretending to be answering the crazy man's questions.

"I asked you, did the Dark Lord forgive them," the old man said. "Did he forgive those that had remained out of the prison?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry said. He remained standing and watched the old man pace in the room.

"Don't you," Moody said. "I suppose you don't." He noticed the boy edging away from him and towards the door. "Don't think that anyone will come to save you." He shut and locked the door. Then he pointed his wand at Harry and explained that he'd been the one to put his name in the Goblet of Fire. That he'd been the one to guide the boy through his tasks and to nudge Hagrid into revealing the dragons to him. "I did all of that to help you, in order to get you into position for the Dark Lord to take his rightful place back in the world, by getting rid of you."

"Well, obviously he couldn't," Harry spat out the words. His wand was out too and he had one of his swords in his other hand. "He was too overconfident and failed."

"The Dark Lord is a superior Wizard," Moody sputtered in rage.

"He's a snake-faced son of muggle," Harry spat out. "He's only pitiful half-blood with delusions of being more than he is."

"YOU LIE," Moody yelled, casting several harmful curses at the boy, who just dodged them and cast several of his own, destroying the man's roving eye with a hissed _Bombarda_, along with setting the wooden leg on fire with his flare spell.

Harry dodged again, this time moving in and thrusting his sword forward to knock the man's wand out of his hands. Luckily for the two of them they were on the far side of the room when the door was blasted open. The boy lunged and stabbed the man in his hand, making him drop his wand and then he shoved him with his arm against the man's neck, into the brick wall with such force that the man was knock out. He used his sword to flick the flask at the man's side into the direction of the Potions Master.

Severus Snape wasn't alone at the door. Behind him were the Headmaster, the Gryffindor Head of House Professor McGonagall, Remus Lupin and a few other officials in red Auror battle robes.

Harry put his sword away, as he was enveloped in the arms of his new father. He shuddered at the thought of everything that he'd experienced. His body still shuddered through everything, as the situation was explained with a strong truth potion administered to his attacker.

"Polyjuice Potion," Dumbledore said. "The sheer audacity and genius of it." They listened as the whole story unfolded.

Barty Crouch Junior was revealed and he told his tale, in front of the hysterical house-elf Winky, who was mortified that her young Master had killed his own father. It was very much a sordid tale of pain, deception and horror. The poor creature was devastated that her previous masters had acted in such a way.

Harry remained in the arms of his father, as they were guided to the Headmaster's Office. Apparently, Sirius was waiting for them there, since it wouldn't do for the man to be found too quickly. The Aurors still had to interrogate Pettigrew, but two remained to guard the body of the young Crouch.

Sirius stood from his chair, walked over and hugged his godson. "Harry you did well," he said. "I'm proud of you."

"I have things to tell you," Harry whispered. "Later please," he begged.

"Harry we need to know what happened out there," Dumbledore said. "I know that you stated that Voldemort had returned, but we need to know what else you saw and if you know where you were Portkeyed to?"

Harry talked a long while, telling them his impressions and whatever information he could, including the names that Voldemort, himself had stated were important to him. "I was able to escape because our wands acted funny when they connected," he explained. "I had to hold on for as long as I could and then when I was released, I summoned Pettigrew's body in order to bring him back with me. Do you think that there's a chance that Sirius will be pardoned now?"

"Amelia Bones is very good at her job," the Headmaster said in a vague tone.

He smiled in a grandfatherly way, fuming that he couldn't have gotten rid of the rat in time, but whatever. He still had some say in what happened, despite the fact that there was a very good chance that young Harry would be under the guardianship of his godfather after this day. He had other plans in the works and sometimes a little bit of hope was just enough to add emotional decimation, should anything happen to that important person. '_I can wait,_' the old man thought. '_There are other things to be done now. I can't reveal too much too soon, better I let the events play out for themselves at this point in time._'

"I'm sure that we should see something concluded sometime during the summer," Dumbledore said. He felt good handing them that glimmer of hope for a happy family situation. "Now do you know where you were sent?"

"No, sir," Harry replied politely. "I'm sorry! All I know is that is was some graveyard."

"What happened with the wands," Sirius asked.

"Priori Incantatem," Dumbledore said. He wished that he could have seen that effect. It was something that he'd only read about in books of theoretical magic.

"Reverse spell-effect," Remus said. "Why would they do that?"

"The wands contain the same core," the Headmaster explained. "They both have a phoenix feather at their core, which from the same phoenix. Ollivander told me about your wand when he'd sold it to you."

"Why would he do that," Harry asked.

"Fawkes was the one to donate his feathers," the old man explained.

Harry stood up, walked to the bird and bowed. "Thank you Fawkes," he said. The phoenix was pleased to be acknowledged and trilled his happiness. "You've saved me a few times." He whispered softly, "If you ever need anything and it's within my power," he stroked the bird gently. "I'll return that favour."

The bird trilled again with positive notes, as the boy returned to his seat under the amused glances of the adults and some of the portraits in the room.

The situation was explained and gone through a few times, until Harry's yawn alerted them all to the time. "Of course," Dumbledore said. "Harry you may return to your dorm, Remus will accompany you."

Harry nodded and was guided through the castle to his dorm. "You need to protect Crouch Junior," he said to Remus. "The Minister doesn't like the idea of someone declaring the return of the Dark Lord. The man is going to do something stupid, like he did last year when me and Hermione had to us the time-turner to rescue Sirius."

"You can say his name," Remus said.

"Not really," Harry said. "There's a reason behind the fear, but until I find out what it is, he'll either be Riddle, Tom, or the Dark Idiot to me."

"All right," he said. "I'll go help Minerva keep that Death Eater alive, as much as I can."

"He should testify and then receive the Dementor's Kiss," Harry said. "Not the other way around. It's bad business that."

"Now you're not making any sense," Remus chuckled. "Off to bed with you. I'll Owl you soon about the Trials."

"Night," Harry mumbled and ambled up the stairs to his closet and tent. His dorm-mates were used to him not sleeping in their dorm, since he'd done it most of the year. They assumed he was with his girlfriend, but try telling them that he wasn't involved with anyone and he got the '_Me thinks he doth protest too much_,' quote.

Remus returned in time to chase away the Dementor with a very well placed Patronus Charm. '_Harry was right about Fudge,_' he thought as the man glared in his direction. '_I have to use caution here._'

"I'm sorry," Remus said. "I thought that those creatures were not permitted within the school without the Headmaster being notified of their presence."

"Ah quite," Cornelius said. "I quite forgot that rule. But you really should have just let him finish the job."

"I can't let that happen," Remus said. "I was once a Professor of this school and the Regulations and Charter of Hogwarts are quite clear. How about you wait here, I'm sure the Headmaster will be back shortly, right Minerva?"

"That's right," she smiled sweetly. "If you'd care to wait…"

"No," Cornelius said. "I have a few things that need to be taken care of at the Ministry and I'll make to take the Dementor with me." The man left quickly and wondered if he could arrive early enough in the morning to have a Dementor give the Kiss of Death to Barty Crouch Junior. '_I can't let the public know about the Dark Lord,_' he thought, as he stormed away from the school. '_The public would not like to know that anything of this nature has happened. Besides, what does a boy know anyway? He didn't even win the tournament, so how are we supposed to take him seriously._'

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**TBC…**


	18. Chapter 18

**CH 18**

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry awoke the next morning feeling really grubby. He looked down at his clothing and said, "Yuck." He'd slept in his leathers, which were coated in various fluids.

"This is going to be a pain to remove," he muttered. He looked over to his belt with the swords and pouches hanging from it. He grinned, as he picked it up and brought it to the Alchemical room. He had a few potions ingredients to store away.

"You really need to treat your equipment better," Helga observed. "You should have taken them off before falling asleep."

"I know," Harry said. "I'm going to shower and change now. We'll play with some new ingredients later and I'll tell you what happened once we're back at the Canyon School."

"I'll let the others know," Helga said. "Although, they may already know, since they were portrait hopping all last night."

"Didn't you hop the portraits," Harry asked.

"I did, but I followed you and you parent back here," she said. "I was worried about you so I watched over your sleep."

"Thank you," Harry said. "I'll just go wash up now."

"Get some decent food in you too," Helga called out.

Harry rejoined his fellow students in the Great Hall and read the news that the Minister of Magic had a Wizengamot order for Barty Crouch Junior to be given the Dementor's Kiss. It seems that, the Death Eater that had impersonated Alistair Moody had been taken away by Aurors in the early morning and then when they were at the Ministry the man had been given the Kiss of Death, according to Rita Skeeter.

Luna approached the Gryffindor table and sat next to Harry. "I'd like to interview you before you disappear for the summer," she said. "Perhaps on the train, I'll submit copies to the Underground Courier too, since they print any submitted stories, even if copies are submitted to other papers."

"Sure," Harry said. "It's always best to get the truth in print as quickly as possible."

"I agree," she said, as she ate breakfast with the others at the table, who all looked at her strangely.

Harry looked up as Cedric walked into the Great Hall. He stood up and walked over to the teenage boy, holding out his had. "Congratulation," he said. "It was a good tournament."

Cedric shook his hand and said, "Thank you, but I have to ask…" The young Gryffindor nodded. "Why didn't you grab the Portkey too?"

"I started to," Harry rubbed the back of his head and said, "But I was stunned from behind too."

"Ah," Cedric said. "I'd like to share my winnings…"

"No please," Harry said and held up his hand. "You won fair and square. I have enough money for my needs from my parents and all. I don't really need anymore. You use it, since you're graduating this year and you're going to need it more."

Cedric nodded. He knew it was useless to push the subject. He walked over to his cheering table.

Harry had finished eating, so he left the Great Hall in order to go pack his pup tent and school supplies. He missed the Owl post arriving, but the Great Horned Owl found him anyway. "Oh hello," he said to the bird. He took the large envelope from it and offered it a couple of owl treats and said, "Thank you."

The bird left to go rest in the Owlery.

He opened the letter and found that his private project was complete. The MML was ready for use this summer and he'd just received the keys. He sent a note to Fred and George for the twins to meet up with him.

"Hi guys," Harry said, as he slowly packed his school trunk. "I have the keys to the lab here." He handed each of them a large key, as long as their hands. "The apparition points have been locked until you two get your licences, but the Floo is set up so that only the five of us can go there. Here's the confirmation that the land, property and buildings have all been made unplottable. We can add a Fidelius Charm to it, to further secure it later if you like."

"Quite all right," George said and he took one of the keys, plus a copy of the information.

"We were planning to do that anyway," Fred said. "Will you be the Secret Keeper?"

"Me," Harry asked. "Why me?"

"You're the biggest keeper of secrets that we know," George said. "Which five of us are you talking about?"

"The three of us, plus two real Marauders," Harry said and pocketed his key.

"Ah yes," Fred said. "We definitely want the chance to pick their brains on a few of our ideas."

"They'd love it," Harry answered for the men, since they'd both expressed interest in their son's expenditures for a magical research lab that only researched jokes and pranks.

"We'll have to go there before you disappear…"

"For parts unknown," Fred said. "You poor muggle raised fool."

Harry laughed and nodded. "Yeah, yeah. You got the keys, now get before I have to get violent."

The twins left the room laughing.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

Harry had found a free compartment and had it secured for the private interview that he gave Luna. It took most of the trip, but the girl had the most exclusive story about the Triwizard Tournament this side of Wales. He had two scrolls and auto-quills set up to take all questions and answers done for submission.

Near the end of the trip, she returned to her friends with both copies of the interview to be sent off to a newspaper and magazine. Harry had joined his friends for the remainder of the trip. He loaded up on magical sweets from the cart-lady and then told them what he could about what had really happened, leaving only a few things out of his tale.

Hermione then held up a glass jar and said, "This is Rita Skeeter."

"So that's how she knew stuff," Ron said. "Not registered, I bet."

"That's right," the girl replied before putting the jar away.

"Finally figured it out," Malfoy leaned on the compartment doorway. "Took you long enough, I thought you were supposed to be smart."

"What do you want," Harry asked the blond Slytherin.

"Aren't you going to admit it," the blond said with his two bodyguards still with him.

"That you're still poncy," Harry said. "All right, you're still a Nancy-boy and I can see where you get that trait from, especially since I saw your father crawling to lick Voldemort's boots."

"You lie," Malfoy said and pulled out his wand.

"Were you there," Harry asked and took out his own wand. "No, I was and saw all of them scurry like worms on their bellies begging for forgiveness to a creature that doesn't even look like a real man."

A series of spells struck the three Slytherin boys, after a foul comment about blood-traitors and mudbloods. Soon there was peace in the compartment again and the children played a game of cards that they taught the Weasley twins to play.

"We have got to modify the cards," George said, as he looked them over. "They need to talk or something, it isn't natural that they don't move."

"Maybe," Harry said. "There are different card games, each with different rules. I'll think of something."

"We'll need to see about getting a rule book of the most common games," Fred said.

"I'll send one to you this summer," Harry said, as they left the compartment. He saw Remus standing there, looking for him. His presence was enough to prevent Lucius Malfoy's attempts at addressing him in any fashion. "Remus," he waved and walked over to the man. "How have you been?"

"Quite well," the werewolf replied. "Ron, Hermione and twins, I hope you have a good summer."

"We'll talk to you later," the twins said and moved to meet up with their parents.

Hermione hugged Harry and said, "We'll write."

Ron waved and said, "See yah Harry."

"See yah," Harry said to his friends. He looked to the werewolf and noticed the man's expression. "What's going on?"

"They gave Pettigrew his trial," he said. "Sirius was requested to be at the Ministry and he's got to appear before July 15th, to give his testimony. It's much later than he thought it would be. He's depressed because he knows that they may order him to go to some mind healing sessions before he can fully take custody of you."

"That's fine," Harry said. "I already have someone perfectly able to oversee my custody."

"Meanwhile, he's ordered me to follow you to your summer school. I'm to give him a running commentary of everything and get a copy of your records for his Gringotts files," the man whispered. "We're to head to MML, after we visit the Deptarment for House-Elf Relocation to get a few for the place. The secrecy spells need to be done before you travel to your school."

Harry groaned and said, "I have copies of those in my tent."

"Yes well," Remus said. "I'm still going to review the school's statistics of course completion. As my son, I need to be assured that you're getting the best education possible," as they Portkeyed away from the Platform nine and three quarters.

Harry - James - Potter - Harry - James - Potter

**END**

(…Final Note…) Weak ending, I know, but it'll do for now.

I have read and re-read the years one to four books, however it is with sadness that I must state that I have not read any of the other books.

I may have plans for an alternate year five, but so far that would mean that I'd have to read the book in the first place to know where I can pluck things out of it, like I did with the the fourth year and have then mesh with the game magic that I hoped you enjoyed seeing.

This is the true end of this odd "What if" tale. I know that more can be done and that I possibly left some unanswered question. But at this point in time I believe that I'll leave the rest up to your imagination and hopefully it will inspire someone to write a "What if" of a different nature.

Hope you all enjoyed this foray into an "Alternate Year" genre.

Lil Nezumi


End file.
